International break offers Govan boss ideal opportunity to switch off and become a family guy

STEVEN GERRARD takes great pride in waving off Rangers stars such as Ryan Jack, Filip Helander, Alfredo Morelos, Borna Barisic and Glen Kamara as they travel to represent their nations.

He looks forward to welcoming them back unharmed and into the fold for a return to the serious domestic business of attempting to restore Rangers to top order in Scotland.

In between times, however, the 114-times-capped ex-England captain admits he must blank out his professional and personal football obsessions.

For this is the precious time he can afford to return south to Liverpool and transfer into full-on family mode with wife Alex, daughters Lilly-Ella, Lexie and Lourdes, and son Lio.

Gerrard admitted: ‘I switch off and start working on the brownie points with my wife. Football? I don’t want to see a football.

‘It’s school runs and totting up those brownie points with the four kids and my wife. That’s what I do on international weekends.’

If his international representation report in peak condition later this week, ahead of a Sunday trip to Hamilton Accies, then the Rangers manager will be close to having a full squad to select from.

Only Jordan Jones is currently unavailable and he is on the brink of a return to full training for the first time since before he recklessly damaged his knee in the home to defeat to Celtic on September 1.

Gerrard will be delighted if Jones is fit enough to be considered for Northern Ireland duty come the next round of internationals in March.

The Ibrox boss clashed with the Scotland set-up when angered by midfielder

Jack aggravating an injury during a heavy training session so soon after that Old Firm game. However, he insists he would never dictate to players that they should turn their back on their country in order to preserve themselves for future club engagements.

‘I think, as a player, you’ve just got to use common sense, be honest and listen to your body,’ said Gerrard.

‘If you are fit and available, then you go and represent your country and do as well as you can.

‘That’s the message from me. But if you’ve got a problem then I think you have to respect your club, respect the people who pay your wages and the fans.

‘I would never ever have a conversation with a player and say don’t do this and don’t do that. They are all adults here.

‘There’s no prouder man when the emails come flying into my phone about international callups. Because it means that they have done their job well — first and foremost for us. As someone who played international football for many, many years, I know the buzz, the feeling, the experience.’