Dom Ball: Loan spell at Ibrox can help me be Champions League star with Tottenham

[LeeWallaceRFC 3,920]

THE defender has impressed for Rangers this season while on loan and hopes he can return to White Hart Lane a better player.

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DOMINIC BALL believes his Rangers loan spell can fire him straight from the Championship to the Champions League.

The classy defender could be forgiven for feeling he is missing out as parent club Tottenham challenge for the Premier League title in England.

Spurs are hot on the heels of surprise leaders Leicester but look a shoo in to claim a top four spot – and a place in next year’s Champions League.

Ball has another year left on his contract at White Hart Lane and is determined to make his mark when he gets back from his stint in Scotland.

The 20-year-old insisted he’s lapping up ever minute of his time with Rangers and the experience will give him the chance to impress Mauricio Pochettino.

Ball, who impressed in the Scottish Cup stalemate with Kilmarnock on Saturday, said: “It’s exactly what Spurs wanted and it’s what I wanted as well.

“I speak to a guy called Paul Brush every couple of weeks and we talk about the games.

“He watches my clips and they just say how things are going off the pitch too.

“It’s nice to know they’re looking out, games on TV here is good exposure for me.

“It’s to come and get games, I’ve played 19 or 20 games in front of 50,000 against good opposition with good players.

“I think I’ve grown up massively, living on my own, that’s massive for me. I’ve matured on and off the pitch and just being in the changing room with first team players.

“At Spurs I wasn’t. I really like having coaches who are pushing you.

“My contract is up at the end of next season. I feel I can go back and challenge. I want to focus on the next game and keep pushing on.”

Ball believes the man in charge at Spurs is a perfect match for his style.

The youngster is at ease at centre back or in midfield - and can also play full back when called on.

He’s a modern defensive player who can adapt as he goes along.

Ball’s is hoping it will help him follow in the footsteps of fellow Spurs loan stars who were sent out before coming back to claim regular roles in the first team.

He said: “The manager is brilliant there. He probably knew it was best for me to go out and get some game time.

“You look at the players there – Ryan Mason, Danny Rose, Kyle Walker, Harry Kane – and pretty much the whole team has been on loan.

“You come back and play when you’re ready. He will decide when they’re ready.

“The style of play he wants and the mentality is brilliant. I know that is going to benefit me.

“I like to train to improve. Every day I go into Murray Park I’m trying to improve so when I go on the pitch it’s a product of the hard work I’ve been doing.

“I always work hard and I think it’s showing.”

Ball has impressed in recent weeks in a golding role but may be required to slot back in to the defence after Rob Kieran pulled up late on in the Killie draw with a calf strain.

The centre half later tweeted the damager was not as bad as first feared but he is still a doubt for Alloa this weekend and the Rugby Park replay next midweek.

Ball is ready to step in but said: “Hopefully Rob’s not too bad because he’s been brilliant for us.”

http://www.<No links to this website>/sport/football/football-news/rangers-defender-dom-ball-loan-7327895?#VYFH5G9L8AZyJ3kR.97

Thought we might have kept him, guess he wants to go back and try to prove himself at Spurs

[toolongawake 1,205]

General consensus on here was that his contract was up this summer, which evidently is not so.

[King Jela 20,360]

I don't blame him for that tbh. I'm sure he loves it here but it seems like an exciting time for Spurs at the moment and he can be forgiven for wanting to be part of that.

[B1872 20,648]

Doubt he'll get in the Spurs team next season so we'll be in with a shout of getting him then when his contract expires.

[gogzy 31,195]

I'd have liked to see him stay,, and was under the impression his contract was up in the summer

 

If being a CL star is in his future, he could make that happen at Rangers.

[allgers 735]

 From the loan players we have had this season, Ball has made the most impact, IMO.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Can't fault his ambition and Spurs do not seem afraid of trying young players - I wish the lad well but that's the problem with loan players in general - we are developing them for someone else . 

[bluenosebrad 452]

Personally I like Dom but he wont cut it at Spurs the only way he will see Champions League is with us sorry to say.

[one55 1,510]

would like to see him sign for us. can't blame him for wanting to go back to tottenham but chances of him getting into the first team and getting into europe is pretty slim. if he stays with us he could be playing in europe as early as next season if we're lucky.

[Ozblue 4,331]

No matter what way you look at it, the kid HAS to make getting back to Spurs and making the 1st team squad his priority for next season;whether he is good enough to achieve his aim is debatable,but that has to be his mindset and if he succeeds then I wish him all the best in his career with Spurs or another English club that snaps him up.

Considering the quality of players down South and the wages they earn these days I can't see Ball returning to Rangers on a full transfer even if we get a sniff of European football, because if 'Spurs decide to let him go I'm sure there will be other clubs very interested in signing this lad. However if they decide to loan him out again for another year then I have no doubts we would be front runners to get him again.

[centenarystand 2,227]

To be honest he's not exactly been showing the promise of a player who is going onto the EPL and Champions league but all the best to him anyway.

[cushynumber 25,178]

 a little disappointing, but  with 18 months on his contract he cant say "I want to stay at Rangers". For a start it would be a poor bargaining tool for a contract and secondly spurs cant have players going on loan then publicly stating they dont want to come back - they would just stop loaning to us.

[AlBear. 8,499]

5 hours ago, toolongawake said:

General consensus on here was that his contract was up this summer, which evidently is not so.

Just goes to show no one should believe a single thing written on here. 

[delamonty 992]

Anyway.. it's all good.  Having a player from a top Premier league side speak well of his experience here -- and how it helped him -- will surely help us down the line get other players (loans or otherwise).  Win win.  And MW/DW can take credit for that imho

[gazza27 15,281]

He'd be a great player up here for years if we bought him

[Misteral 2,932]

He's been a good loan signing for us but I'm not quite sure he has the skill or dynamics to match the demands of the EPL. Good luck to him when he goes back to Spurs though. 

[WilliamFyfe 1,438]

I can't see him getting into the Spurs team

Look at big Kyle Bartley after 2 years here. He went back to Arsenal thinking he'd get a game then got sold to Swansea and never played much for them. 

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,745]

54 minutes ago, AlBear85 said:

Just goes to show no one should believe a single thing written on here. 

Somebody will have been on one of those "transfer market" type website and seen that it says contract expires June 16 and even though that means the loan contract he signed with us they will have taken it as his actual contract with Spurs.

Its amazing how quickly something can snowball and become fact though isn't it?

[K.A.I 36,183]

Obviously, sadly, means he's no intention of staying 

shame as I genuinely thought the big man could be our holding midfielder next season and save us a job and cash. Hopefully he can be persuaded to change him mind 

either way I've enjoyed having him even if he's not been an automatic starter - more value than the other 2 loanees anyway 

[Mr Soprano 13,964]

I like the big man.

Hope he stays.

[Thermopylae 15,286]

It's always good to see ambition in a player 

[Creampuff 22,628]

I think he could potentially make it at Spurs, but I think it would be in his best interests to go back out on loan first. He's only 20, and he's only played ~30 first team games. I reckon he'll spend the first half of next year in the English Championship.

[ThatNightInFlorence 696]

Another season on loan at us wouldn't be a bad thing for his development. We will be playing in a higher league against better players and he will experience the old firm so it could be a good move for him, us and Tottenham to extend his stay with us and see how he progresses. Also, you never know, we could be playing in Europe next season if we are successful in the Scottish Cup! 

[GersInCanada 7,775]

Shame that the story about him being of contract in the summer was untrue. I was hoping we would sign him at that point if Spurs did not offer him an extended deal.

[WadeWilson 4,670]

1 hour ago, WilliamFyfe said:

I can't see him getting into the Spurs team

Look at big Kyle Bartley after 2 years here. He went back to Arsenal thinking he'd get a game then got sold to Swansea and never played much for them. 

That's a very good point and a good parallel to draw as Kyle was also a promising youth international who played the same positions.

He played more games for us than he has for anyone else. In fact, given the chance to return, he'd probably bite your hand off.