Gerrard’s future now hinges on expensive duo

GETTING stick off fans and media types should be water off a duck’s back for senior footballers. All part of the game.

When fellow professionals start questioning exactly what you are bringing to the party, however, it has surely got to focus the mind.

Richard Foster, just released by Ross County, simply said what everyone thinks during the week when stating that the Ryan Kent who reappeared at Rangers for £7million-plus last September looked nothing like the guy who had been on loan the previous season.

He pointed out that Rangers is not an easy club to play for, suggested Kent must have some kind of confidence problem, and commented on how so many players just can’t handle it at

Ibrox when things get serious.

He also stated that Rangers boss Steven Gerrard would have been better paying £1m for a guy who had been around the block rather than spending £3m on Ianis Hagi.

Foster speaks from a position of experience. He had two spells at Ibrox as a player, won a league medal, played in Europe. His views contain worth.

Kent and Hagi are Gerrard’s star signings. Over £10m has been invested in fees on two players, let’s be frank, with a pretty thin pedigree in first-team football.

Gerrard has staked his Ibrox stay on them providing creative force and it is a real gamble.

Some of us who enjoy a wager, of course, are happy to bet on potential. There is no replacement, though, for proven form.

Kent and Hagi have only shown that in flashes so far in their careers. With Gerrard’s job resting on them, they have a heck of a lot of questions to answer in a season destined to make or break more than just the manager.