Ross McCrorie of Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers was the subject of a strange decision by his loan manager this past weekend.
Kenny Jackett has explained the reasoning behind substituting Rangers loanee Ross McCrorie on Saturday.
The Portsmouth manager raised eyebrows when he took the Gers defender off after 85 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Oxford United at Fratton Park.
McCrorie, a Rangers academy product, has had a mixed loan spell down South so far.
The 21-year-old has impressed at times, but he was also sent off on his League One debut for Jackett’s side and discipline is an issue.
McCrorie was booked on Saturday and Jackett admits that he was worried he would pick up another dismissal when Portsmouth were protecting a lead.
Explaining the sub, he told The News: “It was just to make sure Ross didn’t get sent off. He was on a booking and there are sometimes situations he puts himself into. I didn’t want to go down to 10 men.
“Ross was on a yellow and then made a foul mid-way through the second half, where it did look like one more and that could be it.”
Jackett’s side went on to concede in the dying minutes, after McCrorie was substituted. Discipline aside, it’s been a good loan for the young centre-back – who has been playing right-back this season – so far.
McCrorie has 600 minutes of League One football under his belt and whatever happens, he’ll be returning to Rangers a much more seasoned player.
At his age, mistakes and incidents of poor decision making are simply par for the course, something to learn from, and Steven Gerrard should be getting a more polished player back.
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