Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has openly criticised his side’s inability to keep their discipline following their 1-0 victory over Hibernian on Sunday.
Striker Jermain Defoe earned Gerrard’s side a 1-0 win – their fifth in a row – but the victory was overshadowed by the red card received by goalkeeper Allan McGregor.
With less than three minutes remaining of the game, McGregor kicked out at Hibs forward Marc McNulty to become the 12th sending off for Rangers this season.
Speaking to the Daily Record following Sunday’s tie, Gerrard did not shy away from criticising his players’ attitudes.
“I am open to advice, if anyone wants to give me any. I am sure the players are sick of listening to my record on discipline and talking about it,” the manager said.
“I think that is nine red cards over 50 games. It is crazy. If you look at our performance today and over the 90 minutes and again another discipline problem, it is probably the reason why we are not talking about success.
“This game is hard enough with 11 men. Hibs came here and they are organised, on a run of 10 games without defeat. You have Celtic across the park who are unbeaten from the new year.
“The job is hard enough and the games are hard enough so you need to be disciplined and you need to keep your best players on the pitch. They are not helping themselves, the players. But I am running out of things to do to address it.
“I don’t want to be one of these managers that takes money out of the players’ pockets. They have got families and that is not the type of man I am, but they are leaving me with no other option.”
OPINION
Gerrard is right not to hold back here. Having 12 red cards in a single season is mind-blowing and shows the lack of discipline in a lot of his players. And as the manager points out, those players who have not received a red must be sick of hearing him bang on about staying cool in games. Gerrard is also right to say that this discipline problem is holding his team back, and aside from McGregor’s kick out at McNulty on Sunday, one player who he could be referring to is Alfredo Morelos. The 22-year-old has impressed for the Gers this season, scoring 29 goals and assisting 11 others in 45 appearances. But the Colombian has also received three red cards, meaning he could have had an even bigger impact for the club had he kept his head. Rangers’ inability to pip Celtic to the title this season may well come down to a discipline problem, and it needs to be addressed ahead of next season.