MX23RW : Sunday, December 15 09:12:26| >> :120:45572:45572:

Steven Gerrard: 'I will not pressurise Rangers board over transfer plans'

Steven Gerrard: 'I will not pressurise Rangers board over transfer plans'
© Reuters
Steven Gerrard hopes to strengthen his squad after Rangers' title challenge fell away after New Year.

Steven Gerrard will not put pressure on the Rangers board over his transfer plans amid growing financial uncertainty for the world of football but he insists the directors are as ambitious and hungry for success as him.

Gerrard hopes to strengthen his squad after Rangers' title challenge fell away after New Year before they exited the William Hill Scottish Cup against Hearts.

Rangers made a loss of £11.3million in the 2018-19 campaign and expected to need £10million of funding from shareholders and other investors to see them through the season before the coronavirus pandemic, which is impacting heavily on the finances of all clubs.

Ross Wilson is overseeing the recruitment work
Ross Wilson is overseeing the recruitment work (Kirk O'Rourke/PA)

However, Gerrard is talking to sporting director Ross Wilson about transfer plans several times a day and is working hard to identify targets.

Gerrard told talkSPORT: "We have to see how it all plays out. All managers and all clubs are going to be in very similar situations but I'm in daily contact with the board and they are as hungry and as ambitious as I am.

"But one thing is for sure, there will be no pressure from my point of view. I certainly respect the situation we are in. It is a very unique and strange time.

"From a football point of view, I'm watching the media in the north and south and finances are going to be affected so I appreciate that and respect that.

"But one thing I can say is that from the top of the club to the bottom we are all as ambitious and hungry to keep trying to move things forward and improve because it's the only way we can find success."

Gerrard believes strengthening is the best way to ensure their collapse in form after the winter break is not repeated.

"I'd be lying if I said I'm sitting here now with the formula because I think when that happens, sometimes it's a combination of things," he said.

"The strange thing was in the middle of it all we were still finding some performances and the likes of Braga, who are a fantastic team. We were doing so well in one competition and finding inconsistency in another.

Rangers defeated Braga over two legs to reach the last 16 of the Europa League before the lockdown
Rangers defeated Braga over two legs to reach the last 16 of the Europa League before the lockdown (Andrew Milligan/PA)

"But look, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that when that does happen you need to find better players, keep making the squad and the team as strong as you can, keep moving it along in the right direction.

"What I can say to the Rangers fans is we haven't stopped. We have been as busy as ever, watching players in different positions, turning long lists into short lists."

Gerrard hit the two-year mark in his Ibrox career this week and when asked if there would be a third anniversary, he laughed and said: "I think you should as the board of directors that question.

Steven Gerrard was appointed two years ago this week
Steven Gerrard was appointed two years ago this week (PA)

"I will continue to work as hard as I can to get better from a personal point of view, to keep trying to improve the players we have got, to keep trying to strengthen the team.

"I think we have come so close to having success. We have from a European point of view, when you consider where we were when I came into the club and there was no qualification in Europe.

"We played extremely well in the League Cup final but Celtic are a good team who have been successful for a long time. They're a club who have got finances, so they are a difficult club to catch and move.

"But we have definitely closed the gap, we are definitely improving and the pursuit carries on. I do my role to the best of my ability and try to make that as quick as possible."

ID:398658: cacheID:398658:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:8795:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Ross McCrorie in action for Rangers in December 2017
Read Next:
Ross McCrorie hoping to extend Portsmouth loan stay
>
Read more about Steven Gerrard Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Chiefs
@
Browns
6pm
Ravens
@
Giants
6pm
Jets
@
Jags
6pm
Cowboys
@
Panthers
6pm
Washington
@
Saints
6pm
Dolphins
@
Texans
6pm
Bengals
@
Titans
9.25pm
Colts
@
Broncos
9.25pm
Patriots
@
Cardinals
9.25pm
Buccaneers
@
Chargers
9.25pm
Steelers
@
Eagles
9.25pm
Bills
@
Lions
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic1514104444043
2Aberdeen16104230181234
3RangersRangers1510232791832
4Motherwell168172226-425
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd166642519624
6St Mirren176382228-621
7Dundee165472729-219
8Hibernian173682129-815
9Ross County173681333-2015
10St Johnstone1742112032-1214
11Kilmarnock163581734-1714
12Hearts163491825-713


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!