Ryan Jack has been a regular since Steven Gerrard took over at Scottish Premiership club Rangers but he continues to go under the radar.
There has been plenty of talk around Ibrox about the raft of new signings brought to the club by Steven Gerrard. But one man who has remained a constant throughout all the upheaval is Ryan Jack.
Rangers said hello to Scott Arfield, Ovie Ejaria and Lassana Coulibaly this summer while giving Andy Halliday a fresh start. But it speaks volumes that Jack, a free signing from Aberdeen in 2017, has featured in nine of Gerrard’s 13 games at the helm, including five out of six Europa League qualifiers and a place in the starting XI at Parkhead on Sunday.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Jack has been one of the players to benefit from the arrival of one of the 21st century’s most gifted and respected central midfielders.
The ill-disciplined, card-happy player who divided opinion last season under Pedro Caixinha and Graeme Murty should surely be one of the first names on Gerrrard’s Rangers team sheet.
Jack may not have the skill of Ejaria or the Premier League background of an Arfield or a Dorrans but he is absolutely crucial to the way Gerrard wants to play. He is the man who puts out fires in the centre of the park and starts attacks with his reliable distribution.
Jack was one of Rangers’ more impressive players against Celtic, even if he was caught high up the pitch for Olivier Ntcham’s winner after a contentious coming together with Tom Rogic.
You could make a case that he has been the unsung hero of Gerrard’s as yet short-lived tenure.
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