Rangers boss Steven Gerrard won’t be afraid to use young players at Ibrox.
Rangers enjoyed a stunning start to the Steven Gerrard era on Friday night, as they hammered English side Bury 6-0 at Ibrox.
The Gers got their pre-season preparations started with a thumping win, as new signing Scott Arfield got the Gerrard era started in style with a brace.
41,000 Rangers fans turned up to support the new boss, and they also saw 18-year-old winger Glenn Middleton thrive as a substitute against Bury.
Fans took to Twitter to laud Middleton’s cameo, backing him for first-team football this season – and Gerrard has given him the perfect message to go and chase playing time.
Gerrard – a former youth coach at Liverpool – has told the Daily Mail that he is unsurprisingly keen to give young players the opportunities they deserve, stating that that if players are good enough, they are old enough to play.
Middleton may be leading the way as a young player who could make a breakthrough. The Scottish teen joined Rangers from Norwich City in January, but wasn’t given any first-team opportunities by Graeme Murty.
This summer, Middleton has a chance to shine and prove that he can challenge for playing time, especially as Gerrard doesn’t have many other proven wingers at his disposal behind Daniel Candeias and Jamie Murphy.
Another winger may arrive, but Middleton must take Gerrard’s message and do his utmost to impress and pre-season, proving that he should be at the top of Gerrard’s list when it comes to young players deserving of first-team playing time.
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