George Overhill

Wed 15 November 2023 11:40, UK

Ross McCausland is the single viable Rangers academy product capable of impacting the first-team in the eyes of Philippe Clement, according to Mail Plus.

Mark Wilson reports via the paper’s website on 14 November that the 20-year-old is subject of “surprise” at Michael Beale’s failure to bring him through earlier, with the ex-Ibrox boss’ successor identifying him as the top talent from an apparently thin crop at present.

Ex-Celtic youth player and former head coach at Northern Ireland’s JD Academy Gerard Lyttle believes Clement has been “brilliant” for McCausland having expected the winger to break into the senior set-up before the Belgian arrived.

Lyttle said: “He’s a talented boy and it doesn’t surprise me one bit that he’s broken through. What does surprise me, to be honest, is that I thought it might have happened a wee bit earlier. Maybe under Michael Beale.

“I think the new manager has come in and been brilliant. He’s identified there’s a raw talent — in his eyes — who has no fear. It’s probably what Rangers need at this moment in time in terms of excitement.

“If you’re playing in an attacking team, Ross will give you that directness and speed of thought. It’s that no-fear attitude about taking people on. He just does it naturally. And he’ll get goals.” 

Oversight

McCausland still has plenty of developing to do but his prominence at Livingston at the weekend, in what was his belated first start for the club, showed that he is no passenger.

He was both criticised and defended over a controversial penalty award in the 2-0 victory, and had what looked like an excellent first goal for Rangers ruled out by a widely unpopular decision backed by a VAR review.

Fellow Northern Irishman Stephen Craigan was delighted by the youngster’s showing in terms of his potential for the national team and a first senior call-up duly arrived a day after the Gers victory.

But, while there were times under Beale where it was possible to detect progress and a plan, it is hard not to wonder what the former manager was thinking in terms of recruitment and team selection in the latter months of his reign.

Not only did he spend millions on a summer overhaul which initially appeared to have made the team worse and even now is, at best, a developing project under Clement, he didn’t see fit to even include McCausland in a match-day squad let alone give him any minutes.

Compatriot Steven Davis deserves credit himself as he immediately changed that in interim charge, and with Clement giving McCausland time in every league game since the youngster is clearly now looking to make up for lost time.

In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart has called for a regular Gers starter to be dropped for a new leading alternative.