Liverpool return is the wrong decision for Ovie Ejaria - Rangers boss Steven Gerrard

Published on: 17 December 2018

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Steven Gerrard has said he believes Ovie Ejaria has made the wrong decision in ending his Rangers loan spell early and returning to Liverpool.

Ejaria joined Rangers on a season-long loan in June and made 28 appearances for the Scottish side, but returned to his parent club on Saturday after feeling unsettled in Glasgow.

Gerrard held talks with the 21-year-old on Friday after he was left out of the Rangers squad that travelled to Austria for Thursday's Europa League defeat at Rapid Vienna.

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"Look, he's a Liverpool player, so I first and foremost have to respect the kid and the privacy," Gerrard said. "I'd like to thank Liverpool for the opportunity to have him here for half the season.

"Am I disappointed he's gone? Yes. Do I think it's the right decision? No, because I think he had an incredible opportunity here.

"But I'm never going to stand in a player's way who is not happy and who is not settled because I have people who are desperate to wear the shirt and who would run through brick walls to wear it.

"It is what it is. I have to accept the decision. I'm sad about it, I wish him all the best. He's a nice kid, very quiet. He told me it was 100 percent football reasons and I have [to] respect that."

Earlier this month, Gerrard publicly defended Ejaria when the player was late for training in the buildup to a Europa League tie with Villarreal.

Gerrard, who managed Liverpool's under-18s side before taking charge of Rangers in the summer, also used his connections at his former club to secure Reds winger Ryan Kent on a 12-month loan deal.

Ovie Ejaria scored twice in 28 games for Rangers.

"I don't think there will be a problem [with Liverpool], no," Gerrard said. "That's because we've just sent one player back who's played 25 times, 11 times in Europe, who wore the number 10 for Glasgow Rangers in front of 51,000 people.

"We've got another Liverpool player here [Kent] who has played around played probably around 20 times, who has reignited his career after two bad loans.

"He's doing unbelievably well and I want him fit as soon as possible. He's having the time of his life.

"Kids are different, characters are different. I have to accept that."

Source: espn.co.uk

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