FORMER Rovers favourite Kevin Gallacher today backed Lorenzo Amoruso to ride through the storm which has clouded his start to life in the Premiership.

Amoruso has been the subject of fierce criticism in the last seven days following a couple of jittery defensive displays in the back-to-back defeats against Genclerbirligi and Fulham.

But Gallacher has pleaded with fans to give the Italian more time to show he has what it takes to survive in the Premiership.

Gallacher knows from experience just how tough it is to make the move from Scotland to England.

When he left Dundee United for Coventry in 1990, he almost quit English football within five months after finding life tough south of the border.

However, the Scotland international refused to throw in the towel and that strength of character was rewarded as he went on to win the Premier League title with Rovers five years later.

Now the 37-year-old is calling on Amoruso to show a similar inner strength as he attempts to prove his critics wrong.

"He proved up in Scotland that he can do it at the highest level after playing in the Champions League with Rangers so let's hope it's just a case of him needing time to get accustomed to the English Premier League," said Gallacher.

"Down here, you've got to be able to do it week in, week out whereas in Scotland you've only got to perform probably three times in every 10 games.

"But it's not just the football side of it, it takes time to settle in off the pitch as well.

"I came down to England in January and I quite easily could have gone back to Scotland at the end of my first season because I had problems settling in down here.

"I found it hard to adjust to a different life-style and that aspect of it is difficult.

"In Amoruso's case, he's an Italian who went to Scotland where he was a popular figure with the fans and he enjoyed a lot of success there.

"Then he came to the Premiership and it's been a rude awakening for him.

"You don't realise just how hard the Premiership is until you play in it.

"Every player you come up against is top quality and there's no easy games.

"But he can be a success down here."

Gallacher believes Amoruso has been made the scapegoat for a couple of dodgy defensive displays but he insists things might have been different had Craig Short been around to help nurse him through his first two months in England.

"This season Rovers are finding it hard as a team. They've lost their two centre halves from last season and it's going to take time to adjust.

"If Craig Short had started the season then maybe he could have helped the likes of Amoruso to settle in a little bit quicker.

"But unfortunately Craig was injured and because results haven't gone particularly well recently, Lorenzo has been made the scapegoat.

"However, things can quickly turn around. It only takes one good result."