Former Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty has opened up on his ‘painful’ exit from Rangers, in an interview with the Daily Record.
The 31-year-old’s contract was terminated early last month, leaving him a free agent.
He’s spoken at length about how difficult it was to leave his boyhood club, knowing that this time, there will be no second chances.
“I’m just scunnered that I’ve had to leave without saying goodbye to those fans who have been great with me”, Lafferty told the Daily Record.
“To be shown the door after one year is painful,” he added. Elsewhere in the interview, he says he was ‘clearly emotional’ after the Old Firm win at Ibrox in May, knowing it would be the last time he would step on the pitch.
Former Rangers striker Lafferty responsible for own demise
However, revealing comments elsewhere in the interview show that Lafferty only really has himself to blame for failing second time round at the club.
“He [Gerrard] watched me every day in training and I will be the first to hold my hand up and admit I’m not the best trainer,” confessed Lafferty. “My performances in training and in games are night and day.”
I’m afraid that’s simply not good enough. We all know the big striker enjoys a big occasion and that throughout his career he’s fed off the atmosphere of the crowd both at club and international level.
Yet, it’s hard to fathom how someone in his position was not giving 100% at Auchenhowie.
Initially, Steven Gerrard obviously thought he could bring a lot to the table. After bringing him in from Hearts he handed Lafferty a two-year deal and multiple starts in his first weeks back.
Clearly, though, the forward wasn’t prepared to maintain the standards required to earn a spot. As the season went on, he drifted from the XI to the bench and eventually, out of the squad altogether.
At times, it would be fair to say Laff was unlucky in front of goal. Nothing seemed to want to go in for him.
However, they say you make your own luck and it’s clear that when push came to shove, he wasn’t prepared to put in the hard yards.
