Malky Mackay has revealed that he urged Billy Gilmour to stay with Rangers.
SFA Performance Director Malky Mackay has told BBC Sport that he wanted Billy Gilmour to stay with Rangers – and believes the now-Chelsea youngster could have emulated Barry Ferguson at Ibrox.
Rangers have been attempting to bring through young talents from their academy, and whilst Liam Burt and Jamie Barjonas have been highly rated, young midfielder Billy Gilmour stole the headlines during his time with the club.
Mark Hill of Celtic vies with Billy Gilmour
Gilmour, 16, was touted as the brightest young Rangers talent in many years, and even found himself knocking on the door for first-team football last season having starred for Rangers and Scotland at youth level.
However, much like Islam Feruz was plucked from Celtic by Chelsea back in 2011, Gilmour found himself the subject of interest from the Blues, and he eventually decided to make his big move to Stamford Bridge for considerable compensation.
Many Rangers fans were disappointed to see a hot prospect like Gilmour leave Ibrox, but the talented midfielder is still being touted as a star of the future for Scotland, with some even hoping that he returns to Rangers one day.
Now, SFA Performance Director Malky Mackay has offered his view on Gilmour’s recent departure from Rangers, admitting to BBC Sport that he urged Gilmour and his family to stay in Glasgow and continue developing with the Gers – but understands why they wanted to make the move to West London.
Malky Mackay
Mackay added that he would have loved to see Gilmour stay with Rangers, as by the age of 21, he could have been an incredible talent for Scotland to use, especially with games under his belt for the Gers.
Mackay even suggested that Gilmour could have become the new Barry Ferguson with Rangers, who was a hero for the Gers in two separate spells with the club, meaning there is still time for Gilmour to head back to Ibrox later in his career and fulfil that part of Mackay’s analysis.
“There’s a good chance, in the next 18 months, Billy could have got into that Rangers first-team,” said Mackay. “I did speak to Billy and his mum and dad as an independent, and someone who had been a manager in England and had dealings with young players who had the possibility of going to Manchester City. It is quite evident why they decided to do what they did.”
“I would have loved to have seen him stay at Rangers and, by the time he was 21, we’d have an incredibly exciting talent,” Mackay continued. I really hope he goes out on loan quickly to someone and keeps progressing. I need good Scottish talent coming through. He’s not physically ready for Rangers’ first-team, but in 18 months’ time, when he is 17-and-a-half, 18, that’s when he becomes a Barry Ferguson. Barry had played 200 games for Rangers by the time he was 21,” he added.
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