Gary McAllister has urged Ianis Hagi to maintain his risk and reward philosophy after the Romanian moved Rangers a further step closer to the Premiership title on Wednesday night.
Ibrox No.2 McAllister was delighted with Hagi’s stunning strike from the edge of the box against St Johnstone but also with the 22-year-old’s desire to make things happen in and around the box – even if it doesn’t always pay off.
And McAllister believes Hagi and team-mates like Kemar Roofe, Ryan Kent and new boy Scott Wright will keep bringing success to the club if they continue to be brave on the ball without being paralysed by the fear of making a mistake.
He said: “Ianis is a player who takes risks, he plays in inches and plays in an area of the pitch where teams try to make it very difficult for us. The low block and packed defences is something we are accustomed to playing against.
“When I look at Ianis I see a player of flair but I also like the bravery in his play. The fact he goes for passes, he goes for shots, he takes the responsibility.
“On occasions, sometimes the shots go high and wide and sometimes if he goes for a cute little through-pass it might get intercepted but I like the fact he’s brave and he takes the chance to go for those high-level assists and goals.
“Likewise, Kemar, Kenty, Scott Wright who we have just signed. These are the sort of players who we need to show that imagination and that cuteness.
“It is a bravery thing as well. These guys are the first to get criticised when things don’t go well, the flair player is the one people say ‘he’s not working that hard’. But I like we have guys who take the risk.”
McAllister admitted Rangers, who travel to Hamilton on Sunday, weren’t at their fluent best against Saints but was delighted with how the team has been seeing out games when only one goal in front.
He said: “In a couple of games, like at Easter Road and the other night, going into that last five minutes when things can get a wee bit nervy, we’re showing a greater belief.
“There is a belief within the group, in the guys on the bench and on the pitch, that they believe that they can go on and hang on to the result.
“Any team that has the ambition to go on and win something, you have got to have that ability.
“As much as flair and technique and playing on the front foot, trying to make things look pretty with nice combination stuff is all good and well, there’s two sides to the game and you look at all elite football, nobody gets a free ride.”
McAllister paid tribute to the togetherness of Steven Gerrard’s squad – emphasising a show of unity at Easter Road last week he believes typifies the team spirit that is carrying them to the title.
He said: “It’s never a team of 11 players that wins something. It’s always a group of 18 or 19.
“I saw a wonderful example of that at Easter Road. Ryan Kent went and pressed three or four guys in the 93rd minute and all our bench sat behind us in the red zone, to a man all stood up and clapped.
“That just showed there are 18 or 19 guys pulling and pushing together, which is massive.”
