SCOTT Arfield says the new management team in charge at Rangers made it an easy decision to join the Ibrox club.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard will take charge of the Light Blues next season alongside number two Gary McAllister.
And Arfield, who penned a four-year deal with the Gers on Monday after leaving Burnley, revealed that the prospect of working under the two midfield greats left him in little doubt about whether to accept the move north.
Read more: Who is Scott Arfield? We profile Steven Gerrard's first signing as Rangers manager
He told Rangers TV: “When you have a name like that, and also his number two Gary McAllister, it was quite an easy decision, and also an easy decision for me and my family to come back up the road and to come to a club this size is perfect for me at this time in my career.
“I was lucky enough to play against Steven when I was at Burnley and he was just finishing off at Liverpool.
“He’s been every midfielder’s inspiration I think and he was certainly mine. I’m incredibly lucky that in the next four years I’m going to work every day with him and hopefully learn a lot.”
The 29-year-old became the first signing of Gerrard's reign and returns to Scottish football for the first time since leaving Falkirk in 2010.
Arfield achieved promotion to the Championship during three years at Huddersfield before winning promotion to the Premier League twice at Burnley, and this season helped the Clarets secure a Europa League place.
“Even when I went down to England to League One it was a completely different environment to what I was used to when I left Falkirk," he said.
“It’s easy to go in the Premier League and you can play so many years and drop down, but I did it in reverse going from League One up.
“It helped so much staying in a different place away from family, and now I am coming back here a completely different person, and I think the experiences of playing against those top players at Premier League level can only help.”
Arfield also pointed to the Ibrox support as a contributing factor to his decision.
“[At Burnley] It’s only the away games really that you play against those sort of crowds,” he said.
“We were 25,000 for the last eight years there, but that is what this club is all about.
“If you can’t handle the expectation and you don’t want to take responsibility then you shouldn’t walk through the front door. I’m at a time in my life where I can take that.
“I remember the pre-season game that I managed to score in and the boys came off the bus and before the final whistle there was 22,000 in a pre-season game. I remember getting back on the bus after the game and the boys down there don't know anything like it. It is normally 200 people at a pre-season game and nobody really cares but up here it is completely different. That whetted my appetite to come back up the road and thankfully, three years later, I’m back here sat in this chair.”
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