DANIEL Candeias never wants to experience the feeling he had after being turfed out of two semi-finals with Rangers last season again. This time, his gut is telling him that things will work out differently.
It isn’t mere intuition though that gives the Portuguese winger the confidence that his side can progress past Aberdeen in today’s Betfred Cup semi-final at Hampden and go on to lift the trophy, it is the added quality and new mentality that manager Steven Gerrard has brought with him to the club.
“This team needs to win trophies,” said Candeias. “I have a good feeling for this year that I will pick up one trophy for this club.
“The manager has changed the mentality. Now there is real disappointment when we don’t win any game. It was the same on Thursday [against Spartak Moscow] – it was a hard game and we drew but we were still disappointed. We had so many chances to win that game and now the focus changes to the semi-final.
“I think the new players who have come to the club are fantastic. The manager has also had a good effect on the team, he has changed the mentality and all we are thinking about is winning trophies for this club.
“It’s another semi-final and I think this year is another story and I am looking forward to this game.
“Here, you want to win all the games. Last season is past, and this season is much better. All the time you think about winning the games and on Sunday it is the same.”
The partnership that Candeias has struck up with James Tavernier on the right was one of the few bright spots from last season that has endured into the Gerrard era, but the wide-man is more than willing to step into the breach up front should he be asked to this afternoon with Alfredo Morelos and Kyle Lafferty both unavailable.
“We will of course miss Alfredo and Laff, but we have a solution within the team,” he said. “We have 24 players in the squad. I don’t know what the gaffer thinks about this, but I think whoever plays striker will give everything.
“I will play wherever the gaffer wants. When I was younger I played as a striker. I would give 200 per cent.”
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