GERS WON’T DITCH EURO
Steven Gerrard insists Rangers won’t sacrifice the Europa League to have a better crack at stopping Celtic’s nine-in-a-row bid. The Ibrox gaffer knows the importance of halting the Hoops’ dominance of the Premiership. And he’s aware that Gers fans see the league title as the priority. But despite admitting their charge to the Europa League group stages last year hindered their domestic campaign, Gerrard is adamant he wants to do it again.
Rangers have four qualifiers early in the season but the
manager insists that he and his team can’t ease off for any competition.
Gerrard has made seven signings already this summer and he said: “The squad isn’t finished yet but it’s not far off.
“Once we get it down a bit we hope it will be strong enough to compete on all fronts. I understand the opinion of ex-players, the media and fans saying the league is the priority.
“But come a European night at Ibrox in front of 50,000 fans, if I put a weakened side out, what are people going to say about me?
“If I toss away the League Cup, what are people going to say about me? If I give up the Scottish Cup, what are people going to say?
“My job is to get a squad capable of trying to compete with what’s in front of us. There’s no getting away from the fact the league’s the priority. But we’re going to give everything in the other competitions as well.
“The Europa League definitely had an impact last season. In terms of how many points it cost us in the league? It’s impossible to say.
“So did the discipline side of things so we have to learn from that.
“That’s the reason we’ve had to be quick in the transfer market to get a strong squad together.
“These games are about to hit us hard and we have to be prepared.”
Meanwhi le, Rangers have struck a deal to keep youngster Josh McPake at Ibrox despite interest from elsewhere.
The 19-year-old winger is highly rated by Gerrard and with just a year left on his contract, the likes of Liverpool and Roma were keen to swoop. But McPake is now set sign a three-year extension.