Joe Aribo names ‘wonderful’ Rangers teammate he looks up to
Joe Aribo spoke highly of his Rangers teammate Steven Davis during the Ross County pre-match press conference on Friday.
The Northern Ireland international made his 300th Gers appearance last weekend, leading Aribo to be questioned by the press on the subject.
Steven Gerrard praised the midfielder last week and now Aribo has offered a players’ perspective.
He said, “Watching Steven Davis in and around the building he is a wonderful pro and you can see how he has played 300 games at this club.”
Great role model
Rangers’ resurgence under Stevie G has been the result of many factors, but Davis’ role in the squad is hugely valuable.
He sets the standard as a player who has been there and done it and won things with this club.
Gerrard said as much, and by trying to match that the team has improved this season.
Davis is exactly what a player like Aribo needs, too.
The 24-year-old clearly looks up to his midfield partner and rightly so, and hopefully he is emulating his professionalism off the pitch.
That will help Aribo improve and potentially reach the level of ability that saw Davis play in the Premier League, or even act as his successor.
In some ways the Nigeria international is already hinting at that possibility.
This season he has achieved 1.5 key passes per game to Davis’ 0.8 (WhoScored), while producing two more assists than the 36-year-old.
What happens on the pitch is important, but Aribo and the rest of the squad have to live up to Davis’ professional standard away from the action also.
His contract expires at the end of the season so we risk losing him in the summer, and if that happens it is important that players hold onto the lessons he exemplified.
In other Rangers news, Kris Boyd suggests a rarely-seen Gers man is one of the best players he has played with.