Five Academy kids who can make the grade

4 of the obvious ones and Lindsay, who hasn’t featured/stood out as much for the B team as I hoped he would this season.

Obviously he’s younger than the rest, so plays with the 18s as well but Robbie Ure is in a similar position and has no issues slotting into the B-team.

He did have a stand out game or two earlier on the season, and was above the rest at the Alkass, so he is incredibly talented.

I had really high hopes for him earlier in the season, but there’s plenty of time for him especially.

Very excited.
 
Given Rangers are the Premier Club in the country is it something of a scandal how few home grown players we have produced for our XI or even wider squad in terms of actually being used.

We can run off the familiar successes of Ferguson, McGregor, Hutton, Adam (?) and now Hutton but its a really poor return over the piece and for all the time, money and effort put into development football.
 
Watched a fair bit of the B-Team this season and would include Robbie Fraser, Kyle McClelland and Ross McCausland in that. Adam Devine has been solid as well.

Hoping some of these boys go out on loan to a higher level for the rest of the season. Don't think it is going to benefit them as much coasting through the rest of the Lowland League season. There are plenty of players who can step up from the younger groups who could benefit from the Lowland League experience.
 
ForGodForCountryForever said:
Given Rangers are the Premier Club in the country is it something of a scandal how few home grown players we have produced for our XI or even wider squad in terms of actually being used.

We can run off the familiar successes of Ferguson, McGregor, Hutton, Adam (?) and now Hutton but its a really poor return over the piece and for all the time, money and effort put into development football.
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But its a pipeline - and a pipeline that was virtually turned off between 2012-2016/7. It's now starting to flow freely again.
 
ForGodForCountryForever said:
Given Rangers are the Premier Club in the country is it something of a scandal how few home grown players we have produced for our XI or even wider squad in terms of actually being used.

We can run off the familiar successes of Ferguson, McGregor, Hutton, Adam (?) and now Hutton but its a really poor return over the piece and for all the time, money and effort put into development football.
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It's just a tremendously tough place to break though though. Kids have to be good enough to compete with full international players. That relies on someone willing to give them a chance at a club where winning isn't just a bonus, it is demanded.

I just think that the new management team will give the lads every opportunity to do earn that chance.
 
I may be kidding myself on but for the first time in long enough, genuinely believe that we will see more young blokes breaking through. The approach being already displayed by Gio and his staff suggests that they are aware how important it is to spend the time on developing and bringing our home grown lads on.
 
With the appointments of Dave Vos and Zeb Jacobs, I think the club is attempting to copy or at least replicate something like the Ajax academy. The five players in that article are highly rated by some posters who watch the youths, and more importantly, the coaches, so let's hope they make the step up to the first team squad in the next couple of years.
 
I think we probably have the players more than we think but we rarely give them a chance to play properly. 15-20mins here and there is of no use to a developing player at those stages when they need to really get a chance to find their feet in matches and where they may fit into our team.

Obvs the loan option is what is meant to fill that in the absence of us doing it but really Im not convinced they get any more opportunity at other Scottish Clubs than they could or should with Rangers. At least with us itd be more productive with a view to them eventually playing for us.

Ive long thought we underutilise fixtures like Cup ties where we draw Lower League clubs or even a good few SPFL games when we are at home against one of the poorer sides. For example, Ross County or Dundee at home. In these low risk games Id be happy to see some of the younger players given a start, let them play and see what happens.

Ultimately the few players we have brought through to play for us have been given game time at Rangers, I cant think of any that went on loan elsewhere and have come back from there ready to play. So what exactly is the point?
 
ForGodForCountryForever said:
I think we probably have the players more than we think but we rarely give them a chance to play properly. 15-20mins here and there is of no use to a developing player at those stages when they need to really get a chance to find their feet in matches and where they may fit into our team.

Obvs the loan option is what is meant to fill that in the absence of us doing it but really Im not convinced they get any more opportunity at other Scottish Clubs than they could or should with Rangers. At least with us itd be more productive with a view to them eventually playing for us.

Ive long thought we underutilise fixtures like Cup ties where we draw Lower League clubs or even a good few SPFL games when we are at home against one of the poorer sides. For example, Ross County or Dundee at home. In these low risk games Id be happy to see some of the younger players given a start, let them play and see what happens.

Ultimately the few players we have brought through to play for us have been given game time at Rangers, I cant think of any that went on loan elsewhere and have come back from there ready to play. So what exactly is the point?
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How far back you going there? Loan spells definitely helped the likes of McGregor, Adam, Ross McCrorie and Barrie McKay as they were breaking through into our first team.

90%+ of our youngsters won't become Rangers players regardless of how we develop them, so it's no real surprise most loan deals don't work out from that regard either. That's to be expected. We owe these boys the best chance to make as much of their career as possible though, so it's only fair we give them a chance to play games at a decent level where we can.
 
strider said:
We owe these boys the best chance to make as much of their career as possible though, so it's only fair we give them a chance to play games at a decent level where we can.
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Something that gets overlooked on here, we need to prepare these boys for pastures new to prevent them stagnating and falling out the game as they’ve hardly ever played.

Jordan McMillan for example, had a couple of loans but still with the club aged 25 I think and having barely ever played.

It’s essentially a duty of care, to make sure they are best placed to progress in their career after leaving Rangers and make something of themselves within the game.
 
strider said:
How far back you going there? Loan spells definitely helped the likes of McGregor, Adam, Ross McCrorie and Barrie McKay as they were breaking through into our first team.

90%+ of our youngsters won't become Rangers players regardless of how we develop them, so it's no real surprise most loan deals don't work out from that regard either. That's to be expected. We owe these boys the best chance to make as much of their career as possible though, so it's only fair we give them a chance to play games at a decent level where we can.
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Its debatable that McCrorie or McKay ever became Rangers players. They didnt convince really and disappeared after leaving us so we were proved right on those counts.

McGregor yes but then Goalkeepers are probably the one position where loans can be effective given its impractical to change your no.1 game to game or in-game. That said I felt young Kelly did really well on his loans and yet we never really played him, had we done so and he was still with us would he not now be a respectable option as a back-up for next season and a view to pushing whoever was no.1?
 
For the first 120 years of Rangers history there were loads of great local Rangers players from the Glasgow area, but in the last 30 years there haven't been many.

Where did it all go wrong?
 
ForGodForCountryForever said:
Its debatable that McCrorie or McKay ever became Rangers players. They didnt convince really and disappeared after leaving us so we were proved right on those counts.

McGregor yes but then Goalkeepers are probably the one position where loans can be effective given its impractical to change your no.1 game to game or in-game. That said I felt young Kelly did really well on his loans and yet we never really played him, had we done so and he was still with us would he not now be a respectable option as a back-up for next season and a view to pushing whoever was no.1?
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Kelly done really well at Ayr, and was alright at County but only started 13 of their 35 league games he was available for - doesn’t read like he was excelling.

It’s tricky to find a balance when wanting to play lesser academy players who may have potential, over experienced players who have proven ourselves.

For what it’s worth, I wanted Kelly in and around the squad this season learning from Davis to see if he could pick things up and become his heir.

I don’t think that’ll happen now, watched him a couple of times for Scotland recently and he was really poor - caveat is that Scotland youths are still on the dark ages.
 
ForGodForCountryForever said:
Its debatable that McCrorie or McKay ever became Rangers players. They didnt convince really and disappeared after leaving us so we were proved right on those counts.

McGregor yes but then Goalkeepers are probably the one position where loans can be effective given its impractical to change your no.1 game to game or in-game. That said I felt young Kelly did really well on his loans and yet we never really played him, had we done so and he was still with us would he not now be a respectable option as a back-up for next season and a view to pushing whoever was no.1?
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I say this as someone who wishes it wasn't the case, but it looks like Stephen Kelly isn't good enough right now for us. Being decent in a few friendlies in pre-season wasn't going to change minds too much in the management team. Lundstram impressed in the friendlies as well and most of our fans don't rate him as it stands.

I hope he goes on to have a great career and prove us wrong, but the fact we don't have decent teams knocking on our door asking for him to join them says a fair bit too, sadly.

There's a false belief that playing young players automatically improves them. The evidence tells us that's not the case. I don't believe for a second that Gerrard and his management team, or Gio and his, wouldn't give Kelly games if they believed he was good enough.

He's not better than what we have in midfield, so that's that. I'd love it if he kicks on in this latest loan and breaks into the team next season but the odds on that are very slim.
 
ForGodForCountryForever said:
Given Rangers are the Premier Club in the country is it something of a scandal how few home grown players we have produced for our XI or even wider squad in terms of actually being used.

We can run off the familiar successes of Ferguson, McGregor, Hutton, Adam (?) and now Hutton but its a really poor return over the piece and for all the time, money and effort put into development football.
Click to expand...
We never really had a serious youth development programme until 2015, in the past it was generally just kids who were performing well in the reserves who got promoted and then it was sink or swim. Add in the demands of the jersey which has in the past, weighed heavy on older more experienced players and you can see why our record is not great.
 
To make a success of The Academy we need to provide a genuine pathway to the first team.
We've recently enquired about 6 SPFL youth players at other clubs, one is due to sign, the others wouldn't even talk to us!
 
From what I’ve seen of the B team the boy Weston is a tidy finisher, allowing for the level they’re playing at he seems to find space and resists the hurried finish, rather he passes the ball into the net.
Time will tell if he can make the step up and there will always be the age old “he’s a bit wee” discussion but he looks to have a good chance of a future in the game.
 
A lot has happened during the period but 20yrs on from Auchenhowie being established, we are finally seeing some proper talented footballers coming out of the other side.

The facilities are there, the coaching mentality & approach is there and it is great to see a clutch of kids developing well.

There’s a massive jump into the first team of course, and Nathan Patterson demonstrates that being good enough isn’t even enough at times - there is a bit of luck about whether the position you play in is available… or maybe you find the club captain and one of the most effective players at the club happens to be sitting there!

Either way, Rangers developing these young footballers is a positive sign and whether they excel for Rangers or another club then the success of the setup is something to be proud of.
 
Alex Venters said:
To make a success of The Academy we need to provide a genuine pathway to the first team.
We've recently enquired about 6 SPFL youth players at other clubs, one is due to sign, the others wouldn't even talk to us!
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It's not been there the last year or two given how big the first team squad is/was under Gerrard's leadership. Hoping it will improve under Gio with the help of Dave Vos to start bringing through some of the kids.
 
Captain_Buns said:
Yes now that this is back hopefully some youth players can get minutes from the bench rather than the likes of Barker or Lundstram.
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No reason if we are sitting comfortable toward the end of a game to throw on a youth player for experience especially at home.
 
cambridgeblue said:
But its a pipeline - and a pipeline that was virtually turned off between 2012-2016/7. It's now starting to flow freely again.
Click to expand...

I burst out laughing at that. My sick mind wondering what kind of pipeline and what was flowing out of it.

Apologiese to you Cambridgeblue. Im not criticising you or your analogy. Its just my sick sense of humour.
 
Stop letting them out to dross Scottish teams on loan would be a decent start. At the age of 18/19 get them on loan to a team on the continent or league 1/2 in England
 
Isje 931 said:
Stop letting them out to dross Scottish teams on loan would be a decent start. At the age of 18/19 get them on loan to a team on the continent or league 1/2 in England
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Sent a few players down to lower league England who have been unsuccessful.

Off the top of my head - Hastie, Middleton, McRorie, Barjonas, Rudden, and McPake (in one of his spells) have all been poor in League 1/2.

Then there’s been success stories like Docherty, and McPake’s spell at Harrogate, but I don’t think it’s a simple as sending them down south.

Would be interesting to see some of them go abroad, hopefully we see something like that going forward.
 
Cahoochie said:
From what I’ve seen of the B team the boy Weston is a tidy finisher, allowing for the level they’re playing at he seems to find space and resists the hurried finish, rather he passes the ball into the net.
Time will tell if he can make the step up and there will always be the age old “he’s a bit wee” discussion but he looks to have a good chance of a future in the game.
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TGS at that level , (19 goals )I would try and get him a Championship loan until end of season , clearly to good for it .
 
erskine bear said:
Sent a few players down to lower league England who have been unsuccessful.

Off the top of my head - Hastie, Middleton, McRorie, Barjonas, Rudden, and McPake (in one of his spells) have all been poor in League 1/2.

Then there’s been success stories like Docherty, and McPake’s spell at Harrogate, but I don’t think it’s a simple as sending them down south.

Would be interesting to see some of them go abroad, hopefully we see something like that going forward.
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The problem they have going into the championship in Scotland is the quality of football and training IMO. Too many ‘old style’ managers.

Ultimately the best thing for Scottish football would be to allow colt teams into the championship like a few foreign countries. Never happen though sadly
 
Isje 931 said:
The problem they have going into the championship in Scotland is the quality of football and training IMO. Too many ‘old style’ managers.

Ultimately the best thing for Scottish football would be to allow colt teams into the championship like a few foreign countries. Never happen though sadly
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Aye, definitely.

You’d think the powers that he would want to improve the game as a whole, which having the colts in the championship would do!
 
We are slowly starting to see top quality young players coming through our system. It has been broken for a good while but has been revived since we got rid of the spivs. Two that have come through ,but in reality we could not afford to keep them are Gilmore and Patterson. However I think there is a good crop coming and that our Manager will give them a chance. I can't think of any young players recently who we let go that have made it else where. It gets harder for a young player the better our team gets
 
Isje 931 said:
Stop letting them out to dross Scottish teams on loan would be a decent start. At the age of 18/19 get them on loan to a team on the continent or league 1/2 in England
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I think this is sensible - the good habits and practice that Rangers are employing aren’t replicated in the lower leagues in Scotland.

It’s not practical or possible for many of the clubs to have that in place and while having the players toughened up as it were with a bit of a spit in the sawdust environment, the danger is that the loan period end up with them stagnating or even going backwards.

Look at England and the Championship/L1/L2 setups and it is all very good. If you want a player to physically develop to complement the technique you’ve been drumming into them, then those are the places you want them to go.

The leagues in Holland, Germany or Portugal would be a great location though. Very technical and the lifestyle & focus great to embed good habits.
 
Isje 931 said:
Stop letting them out to dross Scottish teams on loan would be a decent start. At the age of 18/19 get them on loan to a team on the continent or league 1/2 in England
Click to expand...
erskine bear said:
Would be interesting to see some of them go abroad, hopefully we see something like that going forward.
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I don't think there's really a big market for Scottish youth players to go on loan to the continent.

Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Portugal etc already have a bigger pool of superior youth players (in their own countries and former colonies). If there's standout players in our systems then the giants like Bayern can just sign them if they want really.

The clubs that loan our players generally need to loan players in but there's still a risk involved for them. Lower leagues in the continent aren't particularly cash rich so don't see many of them fancying taking a chance on bringing over loans from Scotland. League One and League Two in England plus the lower divisions in Scotland are pretty much the only market we can operate in with them.
 
I am sure all of these boys are great players but realistically 1 boy out of that group makes it at Rangers we will be doing well.
 
ForGodForCountryForever said:
Given Rangers are the Premier Club in the country is it something of a scandal how few home grown players we have produced for our XI or even wider squad in terms of actually being used.

We can run off the familiar successes of Ferguson, McGregor, Hutton, Adam (?) and now Hutton but its a really poor return over the piece and for all the time, money and effort put into development football.
Click to expand...
You could add Nathan Patterson and Billy Gilmour to that list obviously.
 
Murphy said:
I burst out laughing at that. My sick mind wondering what kind of pipeline and what was flowing out of it.

Apologiese to you Cambridgeblue. Im not criticising you or your analogy. Its just my sick sense of humour.
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I could have made the "sales funnel" analogy but even I would have shouted "w*nker" at myself.
 
Let's be honest, none of them will likely become regulars in the first team.

Lost count of how many promising youngsters we have had over the years whose careers end up amounting to nothing. I know that's a bit negative but it's an endless cycle.
 
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