Steven Gerrard insists Scottish clubs have gone 'above and beyond' in efforts to meet Covid protocols

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has praised the lengths every Scottish Premiership club has gone to this season to follow Covid-19 safety protocols.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has expressed his admiration for the efforts of every club to make the Scottish Premiership a safe environment during the coronavirus crisis. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Gerrard was speaking at the end of a week which saw his Celtic counterpart Neil Lennon, amid the controversy surrounding the Scottish champions’ trip to Dubai, criticise the measures in place at St Johnstone and Hamilton Accies which he claimed did not observe social distancing guidelines.

That prompted a swift response from both Saints and Accies, rejecting Lennon’s claims and stressing that they have consistently met the standards set out in the Scottish FA/SPFL’s Joint Response Group protocols which have allowed the current season to go ahead behind closed doors.

Gerrard has expressed his contentment with all of the conditions his team have experienced on their travels during the Premiership campaign.

“No, I’ve been very much satisfied,” he said when asked if he had any issues with the protocols at the grounds of any other clubs. “You can see all the efforts across the board, everyone doing what they can in their own situation - going above and beyond to try and make it as safe as possible for everyone visiting the grounds.

“It’s not my business to comment on what other clubs are doing but I have been impressed with the effort everyone has tried to make.”

Rangers have largely managed to avoid any significant Covid-related impact upon their squad so far this season. Swedish defender Filip Helander had to self-isolate after a positive test, as did teenage full-back Nathan Patterson after being identified as a close contact of others on a Scotland under-21 trip to Greece, while defender George Edmundson and winger Jordan Jones were disciplined by the club and suspended for seven games for attending a party.

“Our focus has been very much on trying to make Rangers the safest place for people to come in and give them the best areas to keep them as well as we can,” said Gerrard.

“I’ve been incredibly impressed with our medical department, led by Dr (Mark) Waller, in terms of what they have done throughout this pandemic to make Rangers the best and safest place for our own staff and players, but also people coming in from a distance as well.”

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