Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers are trying to keep Jordan Rossiter fit.
Steven Gerrard has revealed to The Daily Mail he has ‘no doubt’ that Rangers midfielder Jordan Rossiter will be a star – providing he overcomes his injury problems.
Rossiter has endured a horrific two-year spell in Glasgow before this season, only making nine first-team appearances across all competitions due to recurring injuries.
But the young Rangers ace, who earns £10,000 per week in Glasgow [Daily Mail], has been fit for a couple of months now, and made a cameo in the win at St Mirren last week for what was his third game of the season.
The 21-year-old started the 4-1 victory at Hamilton last month and seems to be on the right track toward maintaining fitness, and Gers manager Gerrard says that he cannot jeopardise that by including him in Europa League games this season.
The Blues host Motherwell today after getting back from Russia on Friday morning following the 4-3 defeat by Spartak Moscow, and Gerrard, who played with the youngster at Liverpool, believes that the rigourous schedule could hinder a player that he clearly rates very highly.
“I made it very clear to him in terms of the European run that – and maybe I’m wrong – it was important we protected him from that,” he told The Daily Mail. “With where his body is right now, he doesn’t want to be travelling Thursday night, be involved, and then get ready for Sunday.
“Week to week, getting full training in, getting his body conditioned, that’s his first challenge. Then I’ve no doubts he will show everybody what he’s capable of.
“I think he can do a bit of everything very well. He’s very fit, in terms of endurance, so he hits big numbers and covers a lot of grass. He’s nearly as good at tackling as me! He can pass the ball short and long, he’s honest, I trust him. He’s up for it; he’s my style of player who’ll empty it for you.”
Rossiter is ineligible to play in that competition anyway, after being omitted from Gerrard’s Europa League squad, but the 38-year-old’s rationale on the topic makes sense.
It would’ve been too much and too soon for the youngster, who will hopefully benefit in the long term as a result of missing out.
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