STEVEN GERRARD admits he would not be surprised if there is interest in Glen Kamara from other clubs given the midfielder’s impressive performances for Rangers.
The 24-year-old has been in terrific form for the Light Blues since his £50,000 switch from Dundee in January and in this international break he has helped Finland secure a place at their first ever major championship, Euro 2020, next summer.
There has been speculation that clubs in England could be getting ready to table bids for Kamara and Gerrard admits he wouldn’t be surprised if other managers have been keeping an eye on the talented playmaker.
He said: “We haven’t heard of any interest down south, we’ve read tonnes about it but we haven’t heard of interest.
“Glen’s been fine and he got a real good, strong contract here when he came from Dundee. We pounced for him nice and early to make sure he got here six months in advance, so he has got a strong, healthy contract and he’s in good form and playing well.
“But the message for Glen and the other players out there is that we always reward our players for the consistent performances over a long period of time. Glen will be treated no different.
“So all the players need to continue to win football matches and try to do everything they can to bring success back to the club and then they won’t need to worry about contracts. I’m sure they will get well looked after.
“But Glen’s been outstanding since he walked in the door. He’s still young as well, of course, and he’s going to have days where he is not nine or 10 out of 10, he’s a human being, but I’ve been absolutely delighted with him. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself to realise that we got that player for what we got him for.
“People will probably have their own opinions on whether it was too soon or whether he should have stayed at Arsenal, but he wanted to go and play and he went to Dundee.
“Neil McCann did an excellent job with him there and gave him the opportunity to play regularly in a first team for three important points with a crowd behind him. Thankfully, we came in at the right time and got him at a steal.”
Gerrard is thrilled that Kamara helped Finland qualify for Euro 2020, with his Rangers teammates Borna Barisic and Flip Helander doing the same with Croatia and Sweden respectively.
Speaking at yesterday’s pre-match press conference at the Hummel Training Centre alongside Helander, the manager said: “First of all congratulations to all the boys that have qualified. It’s fantastic for them from a personal point of view and I think it’s the pinnacle of all players’ careers to go and represent their country at a major tournament, of course it is.
“But I’m sure all the national team managers will back me up here – it is important that they stay healthy and continue to find consistency within the games and keep pushing for a place in the last 22 or 23 players that get selected.
“If you think you are going to be an automatic choice and you come off the gas you might find you miss out on the squad because I’m sure there are an awful lot of players wanting to push and sample that experience, as well as the lads that have just been involved in these qualifiers.
“You are always playing for a place in the 23 and you always want to be in the eleven. For me the focus was never the 23, I was always thinking my national team manager could be watching me either in the stadium or he could be at home watching the game and I want to show to him that I’m one of the best midfielders in the country and I want to be in his eleven. That was always my way of facing it.
“Filip has got some real important games coming up, not just in this block but from now until March and then beyond to May where he can really show his national team manager that he’s one of the best centre halves in Sweden and he deserves a place in the final 23. That goes for Glen and the other lads that have qualified.”
Helander added: “You are always proud to represent your country and hopefully if I get selected in the final squad, it is going to be an amazing experience. But during the season it doesn’t really change anything, we don’t have the next break with our national teams until March so all focus is going to be here (Rangers).
“My manager with Sweden was surprised I had started to score a few goals! But he likes what he has seen from me with Rangers and is just happy I have got to play a lot of games. I was quite happy to come here right from the start and that is why I chose to come here, because I thought it was going to be a good opportunity for me and it has been.
“All the people around the club have been treating me very well and, of course, when you are in a team which is winning it is always a lot easier.”