Steven Gerrard has hinted at a bigger role for one of his centre-backs, during an interview with RangersTV.
The Gers boss was speaking after the final day defeat away at Kilmarnock.
He made five changes coming into the game and took full responsibility for the decisions to rest key players.
In so doing, though, he said something which should be of great encouragement to Nikola Katic in particular.
“I’ll take the hit for that. Certainly with Arfield and Katic, it was my decision. But, I need Katic and Arfield fresh and ready for 60 games next season”, he
told RangersTV.
“With all due respect, there wasn’t much riding on this game except to get a win and keep the run going.”
Those words suggest that the 6ft 4″ colossus has risen in the manager’s estimations. He spent long periods out in the cold this season, with both Joe Worrall and Gareth McAuley being preferred to him at various intervals.
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He mustered 30 appearances overall. That doesn’t sound like a bad haul in a debut season. However, when you factor in that James Tavernier turned out 57 times, it’s apparent that Katic has missed the equivalent of every other game this season.
With both Worrall and McAuley set to leave the club, centre-back is an area which needs strengthening.
Based on these comments though, Gerrard believes Katic is capable of being Connor Goldson’s first choice partner, during next season’s quest for silverware.
