Steven Gerrard’s first preseason in charge at the Ibrox has been a gruelling one, admits Gers stars Daniel Candeias and Josh Windass.
The Gers are currently away on a 10-day tour in Spain, where Gerrard is emphasising team spirit; yet it appears the tough nature of the pre-season fitness regime is taking its toll.
“It’s the toughest first day I’ve ever had back in football. The coaching staff are pushing us every single day to get a lot fitter,” Windass told Rangers TV, as quoted by the Daily Record.
This is a sentiment shared by teammate Candeias who admits that he could be struggling with Gerrard’s tough regime.
“This is the hardest pre-season I have ever had, it is the first I have had where you just run and don’t touch the ball. It is good for the physical resistance for the season coming up. I am so tired!”
This period could be crucial to the former Liverpool captain, as his team look to disrupt Celtic’s domination of the Scottish Premier League.
OPINION
Rangers fans will love to see how hard Gerrard has his players working from the get-go. The former England captain will certainly be earning the respect of the Gers faithful, as this high-intensity work out will match the high expectations of the fans, who demand silverware at the Ibrox. This surely must be a sign of things to come, and it is refreshing to see that the debutant manager is taking his first role seriously. Windass and Candeias will have to get used to this aggressive method of management, and the fitness training being conducted currently will only go to serve them in good stead as the Gers enter their crucial season, where expectations could be even higher. Gerrard will be looking to appoint the leadership roles, so this represents a perfect opportunity to impress the former England captain. This training camp will also become invaluable to the Gers ahead of their hotly anticipated Europa League qualification campaign.