Michael Beale expects Gareth McAuley’s Rangers debut soon

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Glasgow Rangers defender Gareth McAuley is yet to feature for the Gers first-team since arriving at Ibrox in the summer.

In comments reported by the Belfast Telegraph, Rangers coach Michael Beale has suggested that he is expecting Gareth McAuley to soon be handed the chance to make his first-team debut for Steven Gerrard’s men.

McAuley was one of a number of signings Gerrard brought to the club over the summer. But unlike all of the other players signed, the veteran centre-back is still awaiting his debut for the senior side.

The 38-year-old is now working his way back to full fitness. And while some Rangers fans may be slightly concerned about whether they are ever going to see McAuley feature, Beale hinted he may be just one reserve team appearance away from forcing his way into Gerrard’s plans.

“Gareth is doing very well. He came to us after being unattached so he was doing some fitness on his own. Everyone knows he is an outstanding professional and I’m really pleased we have Gareth on board,” he said, as reported by the Belfast Telegraph.

“He had a slight injury from international duty so that put him back a few weeks, but now he has played a couple of reserve games and there is another one this weekend, and from there I expect Gareth to be someone who has a big impact in our team moving forward.”

Although McAuley is well into the twilight of his career, he has shown tremendous longevity and continued to play in the Premier League up until the end of last season.

Clint Hill certainly did not struggle to turn himself into a cult-hero at Ibrox despite arriving at the back-end of his career. And Rangers fans do not need to be reminded about how well David Weir performed during his stint with the club.

It would be a huge ask for McAuley to enjoy a spell as lengthy as Weir’s was, but it is obviously too soon to write off the Northern Ireland international’s chances of proving to be a good signing.