FORMER Hearts keeper Zdenek Zlamal has blamed Steven Gerrard for the continuing bad blood between Rangers and Czech clubs because he deliberately targeted opposition players.
Rangers grabbed a goalless draw in the Europa League against Sparta Prague and face the Czechs next week in the fourth round of group stage games at Ibrox.
But the match was overshadowed by lingering resentment after infamous meetings between Rangers and both Slavia and Sparta Prague recently.
Sparta boss Brian Priske urged his own fans to reject racism after former Rangers player Glen Kamara was booed by schoolkids in a previous meeting.
It followed the huge controversy that followed the ten-match ban handed to Sparta defender Ondruj Kudela after his racist slur to Kamara in a Europa League tie two years ago and Czeck keeper Ondrej Kolar claimed doctors told him he was inches away from dying on the Ibrox pitch following a challenge from Kemar Roofe that led to him fracturing his skull.
But Zlamal, who also played for St Mirren and St Johnstone, insists the blame can be put down to Gerrard.
He said: "That whole episode in the original Sparta game in Glasgow was started by Rangers aggressive approach.
"I experienced it myself when I was playing for Hearts. Rangers' style of play crossed a line and there were unfair challenges on me. It was insidious and it was not an isolated case against Slavia. It wasn't just a coincidence.
"What I heard and spoke about with the guys who played for Rangers under Gerrard was that he was the instigator and he was a manager who sometimes encouraged players to be aggressive and make unfair tackles.
"I don't think Gerrard would tell players to injure opponents, but his style was too aggressive.
"If you compare him to the modern and forward-thinking of the current managers of Sparta Prague and Rangers, they are very different.
"In my opinion, Gerrard is not a top coach and that was proved when he went to the English Premier League and was not successful at Aston Villa.
"Rangers then went backward under Michael Beale, who was Gerrard's assistant. Their new manager, Philippe Clement, is a good coach who understands Rangers have to play like Celtic did under Ange Postecoglou.
"The whole incident with Slavia and Rangers did not paint Czechs or Scottish football in a good light.
"But I knew there would be no problems this week when Sparta and Rangers met again...mainly down to the fact Gerrard was not on the bench."
