#Clark# McAusland Loan Deal: McKay, Aird and Gasparotto Should Follow, Follow Wriiten & Posted on 19th October 2013 by James Donaldson for Rangers Media News broke on twitter last night that the Rangers were loaning out Kyle McAusland to Ayr United, where he enjoyed a successful loan period for the entirety of last season, until January 18th. This news was met fairly consistently throughout the online community, with supporters firstly disappointed that McAusland was not going to be around to displace the (ever-increasingly-concerning) Ricky Foster from the right-back slot. But secondly, many were happy that the management had acknowledged that McAusland needs first team football in order to continue to develop and challenge for a place in the Rangers team in years to come. Surprisingly, with just shy of 40 (excluding those out-on-loan; see my list of 39 players below) players making up the first team and U20 squads, McAusland is only the third to be sent out-on-loan – with Andrew Mitchell at Annan Athletic, and Scott Gallagher currently holding goal for Airdrieonians. Gallagher looks to be doing a grand job for Aidrie’, and Mitch’ has certainly made an excellent impression down at Annan in a number of positions, and is fitting in very well with all the lads down there. Without wanting to ‘slag-off’ Ricky Foster just for the sake of it, both McAusland and Mitchell (last season), have made very good individual cases for making the right-back position their own in the past six months, but Foster was signed and seems to be guaranteed a place – no matter how terrifying his defensive ability appears to us all. This must be demotivating for the aforementioned loanee right-backs, as well as for other lads who are on the periphery of Ally’s favoured and seemingly ‘cemented’ first XI. Latterly under Walter Smith, the management always sent lads out-on-loan, but they were usually players who had no chance of contributing to the first team, and the older and better one’s stayed to warm the bench on a match-day – to comply with the failed ‘U21 rule’ in the SPL. For me, this is the wrong way to take advantage of the very good loan system that is operated in the SPFL, and so far this season, although there are only three players out-on-loan, the management under McCoist seem to have changed their ways for the better. The players that I want to be sent out-on-loan as a priority, are the young ones that can make a difference to your first team now, but for whatever reason they simply can’t break in to the side, or there is clear potential for them to make a position in the first XI their own in years to come. As well as the aforementioned 2013/14 loanees, there are three others whom I believe should also be sent out-on-loan as a priority; step forward Messrs. McKay, Aird and Gasparotto. As teenagers, all three of these players have made excellent first impressions in the Rangers team – either in starting roles, or as substitutes. However this season, all three appear to be stuck playing U20s football, with hardly a chance to even get 10 minutes from the bench every now and again. Barrie McKay last featured as an 81st minute substitute in the 1-0 victory over Forfar, a game in which David Templeton had an absolute ‘mare, and the terraces were screaming out for McKay to be brought on, long before he eventually did – such is the impact that all fans know McKay can make on a game. Since that appearance, McKay hasn’t even featured on the bench, despite being available. Fraser Aird has been on the bench for the last two matches against Ayr United and Stenhousemuir, but he hasn’t actually featured in a game since he entered the fray as a 72nd minute sub’ against Berwick Rangers in a Ramden’s Cup tie back in late August. Luca Gasparotto hasn’t even featured on the bench since the Rangers beat East Fife 5-0 at Ibrox on August 31st, and is yet to feature at all in a competitive match this season – last playing in the friendly at Dens Park where the Rangers drew 1-1, and the big Canadian played 90 minutes. All three players are 18 years old, all three have International caps at various youth levels (McKay: Scotland U17s, U19s and U21s; Aird: Scotland U17s and U19s; Gasparotto: Canada U17s and U20s), and all three have made arguably deserve more of a chance this season than what they are currently getting. We know why this is happening. As part of the ‘rebuilding’ of the Rangers, since administration and ‘newco’ demotion, McCoist has been allowed (by both now-departed CEO’s, Green and Mather) to build an expensive squad of mainly ‘experienced’ players, as he sees them – at a cost which is far higher than every club, bar one, in the SPFL Premiership. As Cup exit’s showed us last season, and then again in Forfar this term, this squad is not the second best in Scotland. However, we are, where we are. McCoist has a squad now that is capable of being promoted to the Premiership over the course of this season and the next, and there is absolutely no need to make any further additions – at least not until 10 players, or so, are sold, or moved on. By my count (see below), there are still 36 players available for selection and McCoist has no shortage of options at centre-back and on either flank. McKay, Aird and Gasparotto can easily be spared and McCoist would still be left with a squad that some Premiership manager’s would envy – although they wouldn’t want the astronomic wage bill that comes with it. These boys need first team football to develop in to players that can force McCoist in to selecting them, and personally I can see that potential in all three of them. Time is very much on their side, and two season’s of the right loan deals could see us get three 20-year-old’s ready to command a first XI place, at a time when the Rangers must launch a Premiership title challenge in 2015/16. In fact, if I was any one of the three, I would be banging on the manager’s door and pleading for short-term move to get games under my belt. Their individual future’s as Rangers players, and as a professionals, arguably depend on it. Good luck at Ayr United, Kyle. - My list of 39 players: GK’s: Bell, Simonsen, Gallagher (Aidrieonians), Smith, Kelly DEF’s: McCulloch, Mohsni, Cribari, Faure, Perry, Hegarty, Gasparotto, Halkett, Foster, Mitchell (Annan Athletic), Sinnamon, McAusland (Ayr United), Wallace, Smith MID’s: Black, Law, Mcleod, Peralta, Hutton, Murdoch, Templeton, Crawford, McKay, Aird, Stoney, Telfer, Walsh, Gibson FWD’s: Daly, Little, Clark, Shiels, Gallagher, Burrows
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 10:19:05 +0000
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