Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has expressed his disappointment that Ovie Ejaria has chosen to end his spell in Glasgow to return to Liverpool.
The 21-year-old has decided to go back to his parent club amidst reports that he struggled with the physical nature of Scottish football.
Former Reds captain Gerrard admitted his upset at the decision, and suggested that it was the wrong on for the midfielder to make.
As quoted in the Mirror (7.42), he said: “Look he’s a Liverpool player so I first and foremost have to respect the kid and the privacy.
“I’d like to thank Liverpool for the opportunity to have him here for half the season.
“Am I disappointed he’s gone? Yes. Do I think it’s the right decision? No, because I think he had an incredible opportunity here.
“But I’m never going to stand in a player’s way who is not happy and who is not settled because I have people who are desperate to wear the shirt and who would run through brick walls to wear it.
“It is what it is. I have to accept the decision. I’m sad about it, I wish him all the best. He’s a nice kid, very quiet. He told me it was 100 per cent football reasons and I have respect that.”
OPINION
It’s not necessarily unusual for a young player to be unsettled at club they get loaned out to. An alien environment far from home, without the support network of their friends and family, it can be a tough transition to make. What is unexpected, however, is that Ejaria has supposedly highlight footballing reasons as his motivation behind the decision. Suggesting that Scottish football is too physical doesn’t bode well for the youngster, and could hint at a side of him that means he isn’t ready to be thrown into the professional game. Presumably, he isn’t going to return to Liverpool and walk straight into the first team, and that could mean that he has to go out on loan again to gain the experience that he needs to make the step up. The problem now is who would take him? By walking away at the first sign of hardship, Ejaria might just have damaged his reputation before he’s even built it.