GERRARD KEEN TO MAKE PEACE WITH WALLACE
Defender told he could still be key part of squad if he regains fitness and resolves dispute with club
New Rangers manager says left-back can still play a vital role at Ibrox if he can resolve his dispute with the club
Rangers captain Lee Wallace has been offered the chance to salvage his career at the club by new manager Steven Gerrard.
Wallace’s future was thrown into doubt when he and striker Kenny Miller were suspended and subsequently fined by the Ibrox board after an alleged dressing-room bust-up with former boss Graeme Murty following the Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic in April.
Both players are contesting the sanctions and have lodged an initial appeal with the Scottish Professional Football League. Miller has left Rangers after his contract expired last month but Wallace still has 12 months remaining on his current deal.
The 30-year-old left-back has not played since last September, having struggled to recover from a groin injury which required surgery.
But Gerrard has praised Wallace’s qualities and insists he could still be a key part of his squad if he regains full fitness and resolves his disciplinary dispute with the club.
“Lee’s got a year left on his contract and he’s a fantastic player,” Gerrard told STV. “There’s a situation that I’ve got nothing to do with, and I’m not trying to back out of the situation, but Lee’s got an issue with the club that needs resolving.
“I’ll leave them to it to resolve it. My focus is on when can I get Lee Wallace back fit and available for selection. When we do, we’ve got a good player.
“I need a fit Lee Wallace. At the moment he’s injured and he’s also got an off-the-field situation that needs resolving. When those two issues are resolved and I’ve got him fit then I’m a happy man.”
Rangers returned to pre-season training yesterday and will fly to Spain tomorrow for a ten-day training camp.
“A decision hasn’t been made yet [on whether Wallace will travel] but I’ll speak to the medical staff and see what’s best for Lee and Lee’s body, whether it’s best to stay behind and use the facilities here or whether it’s better for him to come,” added Gerrard. Rangers will kick-off their first Premiership campaign under Gerrard with a trip to Aberdeen on 5 August, with his first Old Firm assignment coming just four games into the season at Celtic Park.
But after the fixtures were announced yesterday morning, Gerrard insisted he will avoid focusing too much on the challenge of trying to overcome the dominance Celtic have exerted on Scottish football under his former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.
“I think for me it is important not to be obsessed with Celtic,” said Gerrard. “I have to sort Rangers out. There are things we need to improve on and my focus is on Rangers.
“Brendan sent me a message just after the announcement and we exchanged a few messages.
“But I think it is very disrespectful just to focus on one team in the league, especially when you finish third [behind Aberdeen] last season and Hibernian were breathing down your neck as well.
“There are some good teams in the league but for me I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I was focusing on the other teams.
“Obviously there will be a time and a place to focus on those teams when we come up against them but right now my priority is Rangers and trying to improve certain things about Rangers so I can take the challenge to everyone.”
“I think for me it is important not to be obsessed with Celtic. I have to sort Rangers out”
STEVEN GERRARD