Rangers played a special closed-door friendly with Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton on Saturday, with 3 different XI’s playing 35 minutes each.
The avenue gave a lot of Gers youngsters the rare opportunity to impress manager Pedro Caixinha, and the Portuguese specially singled out 4 players that caught his attention during the 3-all draw.
The defensive quartet of Lewis Mayo, Scott Gray, Kyle McMcLelland and Andy Dallas played the last 35 minutes of the game, and conceded just once.
Caixinha told Rangers TV of the youngsters’ standout performance post-match: “They played the last period. We had Andy at right-back, Kyle who is 15, was one of the centre-halves, Lewis, who is 17, was the other one, and Scott, who is also 17, was the left-back.
“So they did very well, and in that period of time, we only conceded the one goal from a direct free-kick.
“I liked overall the three groups. They were three different groups, with a different formation in each of the periods.
“It was also a moment for us to try something and also for us to give minutes to the players who have not being playing.”
Caixinha has often reiterated his plans to give youth a chance at Rangers, with 19-year-old centre-back Ross McCrorie recently breaking through and establishing himself in the Portuguese plans.
Having identified first-hand 4 others who could come through the senior ranks, it can be expected of the manager to help fast-track the development of the teenagers in view of handing them their Rangers debuts as at when due.
