Glasgow Rangers have two centre-backs at very different stages of their careers?
When Rangers signed Bruno Alves in the summer, it was clear they had bought a centre-back with both quality and experience in abundance, albeit one approaching the last throes of his impressive playing career. And while the 35-year-old’s presence on the field is important, his influence off it could be felt for years to come.
In Ross McCrorie, Rangers have a young defender with the innate ability to go as far as he wants, and while it is very early days, the 19-year-old’s performances against Celtic and Hamilton Academical last month gave fans a tantalising glimpse of the future.
Alves’s injury allowed his young Rangers teammate to get his chance, and subsequently seize it with both hands, and while the Portuguese international will return to the fold later this month there is a real chance McCrorie’s apprentice could replace his master next season.
Alves has a two-year contract at Ibrox, but he is not getting any younger, and next year his importance could be in guiding McCrorie’s own development as much as it is drawing the curtain on his own illustrious career.
Rangers will need all the quality players they can get as they bid to continue their development in 2018 and beyond, but on recent evidence it would be no surprise if McCrorie features more and more, with Gers boss Pedro Caixinha knowing he can give the ageing Alves a rest without weakening his defensive options.
You can rest assured Alves will be filling McCrorie’s head with information in the months ahead, and Rangers fans could soon see a changing of the guard.
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