McLeish suggests Bassey is ‘having a dig at Gerrard’ after Rangers claim
Alex McLeish has suggested Steven Gerrard’s exit from Rangers came at the right time for some of the players at Ibrox.
The former Gers and Scotland boss, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, admitted the squad may have needed a “shake up” after last season’s success.
As quoted by the Herald last Friday (3 December), Calvin Bassey claimed Giovanni van Bronckhorst has “taken the level in training up” since taking charge.
Rangers tasted victory in the new manager’s first four games in charge.
McLeish suggested Bassey’s comments prove Van Bronckhorst’s arrival has given the squad some “extra impetus”.
McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “When players come out and say things like that, it sounds like they’re having a dig at the former manager or something.
“That’s not the case. It’s just it’s a new face. Rangers players, as we saw at the start of the season, they weren’t quite up to speed the way they played the whole of last season.
“They were still to find that level again. A shake-up, the manager leaving, maybe it was the right time for the players, as well as Steven to go.
“They’ve now got that extra impetus. Let’s be honest, mentally the mind plays funny tricks with you. When the new manager comes, every single player at that club will be saying I want to impress this guy.
“It’s a whole new ball game, different mentality, to perhaps the previous weeks.”
Bassey, 21, has been a mainstay under Van Bronckhorst.
He has featured as a centre-back, having primarily been used as a left-back by Gerrard.
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