15 Jul 2020 08:21:26
It is a shame that some of our young players decide to leave Rangers, e. g. Gilmour, Kennedy, McKinnon, but in all honesty when do our youngsters ever get a chance in the first team?
It has been like this for years, even when we were in the lower leagues under McCoist. He signed numpties instead of giving youth a chance. I know the pressure is on managers (now SG) to win silverware which is why they probably don't want to risk youngsters in the first team, but surely some of them should be given a run out in maybe the League Cup or Scottish Cup initially?
15 Jul 2020 10:07:52
DOIGER I think that's a great post. I said only a couple of days ago our academy is a waste of time and money. No wonder these guys want to leave. They don't get a chance. Who was the last player that came through our young ranks with any real potential that got a regular game? Barry Mckay maybe?
15 Jul 2020 11:02:42
The same people shouting for the young players to get a chance would be the first ones on their backs when they aren't as consistent as you would like them to be, Barrie McKay was the prime example of that. The boy had bundles of potential, was still earning his stripes as i would call it so had inconsistent performances and what happened? The fans jumped all over him and now he is elsewhere.
Agree McCoist had the chance to develop some very talented youngsters coming through the leagues and he decided to sign Kevin Kyle, Ian Black, Fran Sandaza etc.
Outside of that my opinion is the fans are a big a reason as managers not giving youth players game time. Why should a manager give young players a chance when our own fans will give them a game or two and expect a world beater.
15 Jul 2020 11:12:18
Thanks As1974. Going back to the McCoist situation, had he blooded youngsters from the start when in the lowest division in 2012 then they would have blossomed and by the time the Gers were back in the top tier it could have been a great team.
15 Jul 2020 11:44:08
As much as I sympathise with some of our young players not getting more game time it’s a different world now. The days of cleaning the toilets and cleaning boots are finished for a lot of they boys. The minute they get a spot on the bench they’re agent thinks they can ask for crazy money. If the boy Kennedy thinks he can do better the best of luck.
15 Jul 2020 11:52:31
And where's Barry McKay ripping it up these days?
15 Jul 2020 12:49:59
Doiger Macoist could not blood them, they were terrible.
Where r they all now.
15 Jul 2020 13:04:01
Bino bear the problem with Mckay is he had no heart he was a sh£tbag that was his problem.
15 Jul 2020 13:23:41
Plenty on here were and still are going mental at Rangers getting knocked out the Scottish Cup by Hearts and even struggling with our squad players in the earlier rounds.
And now you all want to fire the kids in against these sides?
15 Jul 2020 16:11:39
Unfortunately it has only been recently that we appear to have a Youth Policy of any Merit and looking back on the players that have left I can only think of two or three, Gilmour, Fleck as examples that have gone on to make the grade and we were never going to hold on to Gilmour as has been highlighted many times. It is perhaps easier to blood a couple of quality young players in a team when you have quality around them and sadly that has been lacking since McCoist took over as manager. Now, however, we do appear to have some good youngsters going through and they do merit a chance but we also need to improve the quality of the "elder statesmen" that can help them develop. Gone are the days of having a Butcher or a Gough that a young centre back can learn from, or a midfield player like Souness etc. The reason that young Gilmour looks so good at Chelsea, and he is an exceptional talent, is the quality around him. For me we are still a couple of seasons away from where we need to be.
15 Jul 2020 17:12:30
DOIGER, good post. I believe we need a colt team in the lower leagues to blood up-and-coming talent against seasoned professionals. This would also enable the management team to get a better idea when a player is ready for his chance in the first team. Then it is up to the player to perform and take his chance.