OPINION
One of the biggest impacts that Steven Gerrard has had during his time at Rangers is the quality and number of signings he has been able to make in less than a year in charge.
The summer was a transfer window of huge change at Ibrox, with no less than 15 new arrivals through the door, while the winter market continued that trend of incoming recruits, the likes of Jermain Defoe, Steven Davis and Glen Kamara all adding to the options at the manager’s disposal.
He has been well backed by the Rangers board and there will no doubt be some disappointment that their faith has not been rewarded with results, their cup defeat to Aberdeen all but ending their chance of any trophies at the end of the season.
However, Lee McCulloch believes that Gerrard needs more time and more money to forge a team worthy of the Rangers name and insists that there will be more change over the summer.
He told Sky Sports, as quoted by the Scottish Sun: “You’ve got to give him the time, he’s had two transfer windows. It’s hard when you’re in that position to get players out, as hard as it is to get players in.
“So I would imagine come the summer there will be a few more go out and a few more go in as long as the board back him, and the team will look stronger again. Since the new manager has come in, he’s strengthened the backbone of the team with experience, with winners, with a fantastic goalkeeper and leaders at centre-half.
“You can’t argue really with the recruitment, it’s just not clicked the way they wanted it to click. It’s a massive transfer window this summer for him and his staff to keep the standards high recruitment-wise.”
Two transfer windows is often more than a struggling manager gets and while Gerrard is hardly a failure in the dugout, more would have been expected this season.
There are a number of issues to address at Ibrox and recruitment is one of them – but to suggest he has not had enough time will have the board in Glasgow in stitches.
Things have not gone to plan and Gerrard has to take responsibility rather than hiding behind excuses like McCulloch is giving him.