I’LL HEAL YOUR PAIN
Gerrard’s vow to fans
Steven Gerrard last night vowed to heal the hurt he could sense at Ibrox from the day he walked in the door.
The Rangers boss can book his first Hampden final today when they take on Aberdeen in their Betfred Cup semi-final.
That would banish bitter memories of last term when Pedro Caixinha’s side lost a League Cup semi with Motherwell and the flop boss was sacked four days later.
Gerrard said: “This club have been fragile in recent years. I sensed fragility from the moment I walked in the door.
“You could see pain in the faces of Rangers people. They were craving good times. I’d hope winning a trophy would be the catalyst for a different era.”
Steven Gerrard could see the pain etched across their faces.
Whether it was players or staff at Ibrox who had endured seven years of toil with no trophies, he could feel it.
The Liverpool and England legend might not have been steeped in the club’s history when he first walked up the marble staircase. But Gerrard has quickly realised what makes Rangers tick – silverware.
And that’s why he’s so desperate to be the first gaffer since Walter Smith in 2011 to get his hands on a trophy.
He can take a step closer to that by beating Aberdeen in today’s Betfred Cup semi-final at Hampden.
But if Gerrard does go on to win it on December 2, it won’t be for him personally or his managerial CV.
He says it will be for every person associated with Rangers – players, staff or fans – who has suffered since the club’s meltdown in 2012.
As he prepared for the clash wit h Derek McInnes’ side this afternoon, Gerrard said: “I’d like to hope that winning a trophy here would be the catalyst for a different era.
“This club has been fragile in recent years. From what I’ve heard and seen from afar it has been very up and down.
“So when you start something fresh you try to build momentum and togetherness. You try to start a journey.
“Then you hope that journey takes you to places you want to be, places the fans want to get to and where this club belonged many years ago.
“I sensed the fragility from the moment I walked in the door, for sure. I had conversations with players who had been around here for a while. In the faces of Rangers people, you could see a lot of pain.
“They are craving good times and thankfully we’ve had some OK ones so far. We’re on the right way but nothing would be better than getting to a final.
“I don’t want to talk about silverware yet because it’s too early. But if we get through this big test on Sunday we can start thinking big.
“It would be for the fans and everyone associated with the club. I’m here for them.
“I don’t want to sound cheesy but I’ve come to Rangers to win
for
Rangers . I respect and under- stand this club. Every decision I make, every time I arrive at the stadium or the training ground, it’s for the fans and to get the good times back here again.”
Gerrard has consistently said that he won’t prioritise certain games this season, despite battling on four fronts including the Europa League.
But he knows that, as much as supporters are lapping up their Euro charge, it’s domestic success they really want.
That’s why, when asked if he’d
rather win a trophy or progress to the knockout stages in Europe there isn’t even a debate.
And he’s convinced that he has now put together a squad of men, capable of delivering it.
He said: “Winning a trophy is more important, all day long. People only remember teams that win trophies.
“I just try to prioritise every game because we want to do as well as we possibly can in every competition.
“But seven years has been too long for this club not to win a trophy. We know the circumstances are what they are.
“But for a set of supporters like this and a club of this size it has been too long.
“When I put this team together I wanted it to look a certain way. I didn’t want Rangers to be bullied any more.
“To get that you need players with the right profile and character. I needed players who’d be able to handle the tests that were coming.
“They’re coming every three or four days right now and if you don’t have the guts or personality to deal with it, you won’t go very far here.”
Aberdeen stand in Rangers’ way and despite their Europa exertions against Spar tak Moscow on Thursday night – as well as the absence of a recognised striker – he believes his side can win.
Certainly, he won’t be using tiredness as an excuse if they fail to turn up at Hampden.
And the Gers
boss says his players should take heart from the way they played against the Dons on the opening day of the season – when they were unlucky not to win with 10 men. He said: “The respect is there for Aberdeen but I still feel we have enough to get the job done on Sunday.
“We won’t use Thursday night as an excuse, win, lose or draw.
“We didn’t use it at Pittodrie when we played 78 minutes with 10 men. We don’t focus on excuses around here.
“We put in a hell of a performance that day when Alfredo Morelos was sent off.
“You wouldn’t have known we were down to 10 men, which is a big compliment to the team.
“That must give the boys belief and confidence. They went toe to toe with a top team a man down and at times looked better than them.
“I said after the game we performed at a better level than Aberdeen and without being disrespectful my opinion hasn’t changed.”
I don’t want to sound cheesy but I’ve come to Rangers to win for Rangers