Gerrard Lauds His Outstanding Players

AN ECSTATIC Steven Gerrard joined Emma Dodds, Walter Smith and Graeme Souness on RangersTV following tonight’s sensational win over Galatasaray and there, he lauded his ‘outstanding’ players.

The Light Blues manager was thrilled with what his players gave him as they qualified for the Group Stages of the Europa League for the third season in succession.

A beaming Gerrard explained: "I am very pleased. It's a big night for the football club which is the most important thing, especially in the current climate which we are all living in.

"But to a man, the players were outstanding - we gave them a game plan but they have to go out and individually carry it out.

"It was a bit nervy at the end, as you would imagine, when they have scored, but I think we thoroughly deserved our victory.

"We have been together for over two years now - we are used to each other and I know the players inside out and they know us and they know what we expect from them.

"We would still like to keep progressing and moving it forward - this is a fantastic night, the players are very happy in the dressing room, but the key for me, especially on a stage with these two [Smith and Souness] is to make sure we are having good nights come May.

"It is very important European football, but for me, it is about success in May, that is the most important thing, but if we keep performing like we did tonight and keep moving this group of players forward and adding the right players to it, maybe we can.

"It is fantastic what we have done in Europe, but this club is built on success and success is trophies.

"They are difficult shoes to fill because so many fantastic teams in the past have been successful and the expectation doesn't change.

"But we are aware of that, we handle it, we deal with it and we just keep trying to take each game as it comes.

"The challenge for me is can I get this team in the mix come May?"

Tonight’s success over the Turkish side was built on a superb midfield display from Scott Arfield – who netted the opener – Steven Davis and Glen Kamara, the trio been outstanding since Ryan Jack was injured on September 12.

The manager continued: "I couldn't change the midfield three - since Jacko got injured, and Jacko is one of the first names on the team sheet - the midfield have been excellent.

"I thought Glen Kamara was outstanding, Davis played with experience and the midfield were outstanding today.

"I thought we lacked a bit of pace in the first half - we were regaining the ball but no outcome was coming and we were a bit toothless in the final third.

"We asked them to play with a bit more belief and back themselves more and they did that second half and we got our rewards for that."

James Tavernier grabbed the second on the night to make it 2-0 soon after Arfield’s opener, for incredibly his seventh goal from seven games.

The manager explained: "When we turned up, we knew we probably had the best right-back in the league and that has stayed the same.

"His consistency has been outrageous and he has got stronger and stronger as the games have gone on, and he has led his team to three European runs in succession.

"He deserves a lot of credit. I know, on the outside, people make noise about James, but the important thing is he is loved on the inside and we appreciate what he does.

"If he was the perfect full-back, he probably wouldn't be here. He is available all the time, he puts himself out there and the numbers for a full-back, no matter what league and what level are outstanding."

The manager also reflected on the achievement of qualifying for the group stages given the additional challenges this season, adding: "This run was more difficult because we haven't got the crowd and the passion, the roar and the help from the terraces. And, you only get one game.

"So going to Holland last week against Willem, against a dangerous team - there was no room for error so we had to get it right.

"The players deserve all the credit - we can only give them support and take all the excuses away and give them a game plan - they are the ones that carry it out so they deserve all the plaudits tonight."