Steven Gerrard plans on downsizing at Rangers as he admits 'squad of 26 is not fair on the players'

Steven Gerrard has plans to trim his Rangers squad

Gerrard does not merely believe he has the personnel to cope with a hectic programme that awaits them with eight games in the next three weeks. A schedule that begins with an Edinburgh assignment against Hearts this lunchtime, takes his team to Porto for a Europa League encounter on Thursday. It will go a long way to determining whether they can cement top spot status in the Premiership, progress in Europe and - via a Betfred Cup semi-final against Hearts in a fortnight - move to within a final win of ending eight years without a major trophy being celebrated at Ibrox. The Rangers believes he has more players than he needs; a situation he intends to address in the January transfer window.

“I'm not sure players will be out there in January to improve on what we've got,” said Gerrard. “We have to consider that. Listen, if something pops up where we think it'll strengthen us, of course we'll look into it. But the next window will be more to downsize in terms of numbers. Because there are two or three who need to go and play. “The numbers at the moment are too big, 26 is too many. It's a luxury position for me to be in but it's not fair on some of the players.

“Where they are in their careers, they need to play. I've had conversations with certain players and told them where I see them fitting in. Then the decision's down to them, I wouldn't force anyone out the door. I'll always be respectful but honest as well. They get paid to play football so it's important for their career that they play because the squad is two or three heavy right now.

“I'm finding it hard to get them into the 18 so it'll be more about downsizing than adding to it. If a player becomes available that's better than what we've got, myself and Ross [Wilson, Rangers new director of football] will look at it.

“The squad's in a good place. It's not perfect, there's still some areas where we can get better. But is January the right time to do that? There's still loads of time for injuries and suspensions to happen, before deciding if you go in or not. But sitting here right now, I think it'll be very hard to find someone in January who's better than a Ryan Jack, a Connor Goldson, a Joe Aribo or an Alfredo Morelos. I'm not sure those players will be out there in the market where we're shopping.

“It's an awkward window anyway. We were ever so lucky that there was a [Steven] Davis and a [Jermain] Defoe there [last January] . We did so well getting them. Looking back on that window – and seeing where we are now – those were two fantastic bits of business. The Davis and Defoe situations were when we needed to be reactive. We needed more quality at that particular time. We needed someone to dictate the play in a holding position and we were an injury away from having problems up front.

“I don't think we're in that situation now. I'm not looking at an area of the team and thinking: 'We have to do this'. So we're more calm this time. In terms of recruitment, we're always looking at now and the future.

“That's why we've added the likes of [Nikola] Katic, [Joe] Aribo and [Glen] Kamara. They're all between 21 and 25 who are big assets for Rangers and will protect the club moving forward. At the same time, everyone knows that we need to win now. So it's also important to get the likes of [Allan] McGregor back, along with Davis and Defoe – because they know how to win.”

The reality is that it is only this season, following a half-term settling in period, Davis and Defoe have become the intergal players to the Rangers cause that was expected of they would be from the off. Gerrard will be aware then that any January signings would require an assimilation period. Some players need even longer than six months. Borna Barisic is a case in point. In his first season at the club he looked a player to delicate in body and mind to cope with expectations. Now the Croatian international is one of the Ibrox club’s form players, and goes to Tynecastle this week fresh from earning plaudits for the marking job he did against Gareth Bale for his country.

“it is my job to keep pushing to find that [form] and that is what I did,” said Gerrard. “ There have probably been days where he hasn't been happy with me pushing him in certain ways but I know that form has been there, it was just about getting it out of him and now keeping him there.I treat all the players the same, whether they are in the team or not. Sometimes I've got to provoke them or tell them something they maybe haven't heard before, or aren't comfortable hearing.

“That is my job - it doesn't mean I think any less of them. I love all the players the same. Sometimes it takes - and I know this from me being a player - someone to say something you really don't want to hear. That really helps to trigger the path back to where you should be.

“I have loads of examples from my career. Rafa [Rafael Benitez] , Roy Evans, Ronnie Moran, Sammy Lee, Phil Thomson - the list goes on... They just sit you down, show you the clips, the evidence, the numbers and say look, this is you. Sometimes you just need to be told the truth. I've had many real honest conversations with Borna and to be fair to him he knows himself. I am sure he will be the first to admit that his form is now where it should be. I am sure he is looking back at all the conversations we have had and said now I know why we have had these chats.”