GARY MCALLISTER is confident Rangers will continue to take strides forward under Steven Gerrard’s guidance after the Ibrox boss penned an extended contract until 2024.

Gerrard was less than halfway through the four-year deal he signed when he was appointed as boss last term.

But his huge impact on and off the park has seen the Liverpool legend rewarded with fresh terms as he looks to deliver silverware success sooner rather than later.

McAllister and the rest of the backroom team have also clinched new contracts and the assistant manager said: “First and foremost the manager has touched on it, we’re all very privileged to be given the chance. We’ve been given great support here and it was perhaps easier for me coming back to my home country and having family around me, but the way the club have embraced us and helped us settle in quickly shows the club is committed to us and it’s a showing we’re all together.

“When you come into a building like this or walk through the doors at Ibrox you cannot describe it as a stepping stone. It’s not. Simply, it can’t be. The kudos, respect thing is something we’re growing but we’ve come here to try and win. We need to win.

“Look at the building here and the difference, a lot of the fans don’t get the chance to see inside here. Look at the change inside Ibrox. All the things fans maybe don’t see...there has been a lot done behind closed doors. Football wise? It’s kudos, respect.

“Europe, domestically, but we’ve got to keep pushing the levels and standards and allied to hard work you never know what can happen because when clubs like this gather momentum and everyone is together anything can happen.”

Gerrard guided Rangers into the Europa League last 32 with a draw against Young Boys on Thursday night.

His impact has been huge over the last 18 months but McAllister isn’t surprised at the speed of Rangers’ progress.

He said: “Knowing the people I work with and the manager, as an ex team-mate, I know his standards and levels and desire to get even better and to continue to get better.

“He never stands still. I’m not going to say I’m not surprised but it follows the course of the hard work and that striving to get better you get a wee bit of success.

“The stature of the manager brings that, he has instant respect because of an illustrious playing career but put that aside.

“I don’t look at Steven as this big player, now I look at him as a manager and he has thrown himself into that.

“There are two Steven Gerrards I know. He doesn’t use the fact he was such a successful footballer, he’s into another field now but the hunger and his ethos helps him to be what he is doing now as a manager.

“It’s that continually taking on information. As a player, when you go right to the levels he has played, as soon as you think you’ve made it you don’t learn but he was continually taking on information. And he’s the same as a manager - he’s like a sponge taking stuff with everyone. He played with a confidence, but he’s by no means an arrogant man, he’s most definitely a humble person and a quiet man.”