It Begins Here For Steven Gerrard & Rangers - His First Team Selection Goes Down In History

Former England and Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard’s decision to hang up his boots and move firstly into youth coaching were the easy choices. Less so his decision to go for the top job at Ibrox this summer, but life and stresses in the office, at the training camp and taking recruitment meetings as he looked to strengthen our first-team squad – well it all pales in comparison to the experience that awaits him at our home ground at 7.45pm this evening.

The Europa League Qualifying First Round first leg tie carries a pressure unique to itself as Rangers go in search of not just consolidating and then improving their position back in the top flight of Scottish football, but re-establishing themselves in European competition – especially given the hurt and upset of last season’s failed attempt to do just that.

FC Shkupi goes down in his, and our, history and although tonight’s game won’t define Gerrard’s time in Glasgow it will become something that is referenced, for good or ill. No point worrying about the second leg until we get this one out the way.