MADRID, Milan and Manchester are all great, historic football cities.

So, too, are London, Liverpool and Lisbon.

They have rich clubs, big clubs, winning clubs. These are fantastic places to play your football. If you are doing well in any of them, then you’ve cracked it.

But when it comes to difficult environments for a manager or a player, then Glasgow is right up there.

The last few weeks have proven that. Sure, there are better teams living in the cities I have mentioned, but this is a unique place to play and to watch football.

Two weeks ago Steven Gerrard could do no wrong in the eyes of the fans.

Rangers hadn’t lost a game, were equal with Celtic at the top of the Premiership and had qualified for the Europa League group stages.

And now? Steven is being questioned, his tactics and selection pulled apart by punters and pundits.

That won’t faze him or get to him, though. No chance.

He is used to that pressure and he certainly knows what life in Glasgow, and at Rangers, is all about.