OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Kyle’s a beaut . . . and has the potential to rival Prso and Hateley RANGERS new boy Kyle Lafferty has been tipped to follow in the footsteps of a long list of great Gers target men. Mark Hateley and Dado Prso are just two names who have lit the Light Blue touchpaper to become fans' favourites at Ibrox. Now giant hitman Lafferty has joined the ranks this summer along with other frontline additions Kenny Miller and Andrius Velicka. And former Northern Ireland Under-21 team mate Jonny Tuffey reckons he can make a similar impression to Hateley and Prso. The Partick Thistle keeper has come through the international ranks with the beanpole target man who clinched a £3.75million move to Gers from Burnley last week. And Tuffey has little doubt about the moment that may have made up Light Blues boss Walter Smith's mind to land the giant Lafferty. He said: "Obviously at 6ft 4ins Kyle has a huge presence and he is a real handful for defenders in the air, but that is not all there is to his game. "Kyle has decent touch with either foot and his goal against Sweden in the Euro qualifiers underlined that. I think it was a ball over the top and he took a superb first touch, turned and curled it into the top corner. "I remember watching that one and thinking the big man had just shown he had everything needed to make it at a massive club. Funnily enough it didn't take him long to make the move to the biggest club in Scotland - so maybe Walter Smith saw that one!" "From a keeper's perspective Kyle does offer a great out ball. Allan McGregor will not find it very hard to hit him from the box and when you think of some of the big target man types Rangers have had in the past like Mark Hateley and Dado Prso, then I am confident Kyle will be able to follow in their footsteps." Lafferty has already notched five goals from 16 international appearances for Northern Ireland and Tuffey says there is no danger of the giant striker sinking without trace in the blue sea of Ibrox. He said: "I have played with Kyle Lafferty right the way through the Northern Ireland youth set-up from the Under-17s to the 21s and he has done really well to make it through to the full international side already. "So although Rangers have paid out close to £4million they have got an established international who at 20 is only going to get better, and who has a great temperament and real self-belief. These have always been big strengths of Kyle's and I am sure they will stand him in good stead at Ibrox. "The fact that Kyle has played and scored for Northern Ireland against Sweden in the Euro 2008 qualifiers means he is used to the big stage. He will be fine." Tuffey went on: "At 20, Kyle is not the finished article and I am sure he would admit that, but that is good for Rangers as they have signed an international striker who is only going to get better. "He already has a lot of experience under his belt though and I think he will really relish the prospect of playing European football at club level. "Kyle has shown on the international stage that facing some of the best defenders on the Continent is not a problem, and I think the more opportunity he gets to do that at club level the faster he will develop." With Rangers gaffer Walter Smith having assembled a front line arsenal packed with a lethal strike cocktail of pace, power and predatory prowess, Tuffey is confident that his fellow countryman has the quality to come out on top. He said: "I know Rangers now have a few options with the likes of Andrius Velicka and Kenny Miller having signed and then you have Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo and Jean-Claude Darcheville already there, and that is pretty intimidating. "But Kyle will give Rangers something extra with his aerial strength. "Although the competition for a starting place will be red hot, I would fancy him to make one of the starting places his own before the season is out." 11:07am today BackGood man, Tuffey! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_RFC87 761 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 good man Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Stars Bearette 1 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 if Kyle can do what Dado did for the team I'll be very happy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluepeter 5,627 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I like this Tuffey guy. Is he any good? Sounds like he's touting for a move to Ibrox himself Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coopermania 1 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I hpe this guy Tuffey is right Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I like this Tuffey guy. Is he any good? Sounds like he's touting for a move to Ibrox himself He's a good Thistle 'Keeper, maybe not better than Kenny Arthur though! Northern Irish too as the article says! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 I hpe this guy Tuffey is right I hope so too, but Dado could charge his way through a wall of defenders and keep the ball. Not sure Lafferty has that strength yet, but you never know when he fills out a bit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlippinEck 3,705 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Every day i hear something different about the lad, hes great in the air, hes not great in the air, hes great with the ball at the feet etc etc, im just gonna wait and see Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 Every day i hear something different about the lad, hes great in the air, hes not great in the air, hes great with the ball at the feet etc etc, im just gonna wait and see I know exactly what you mean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbm26896 995 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 i hope he gets a good pre season and is as good as tuffey is saying we will have a top addition to the squad Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey_RFC 122 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Thanks Tuffey but I'm hardly going to take the advice of Partick Thistle's goalkeeper on the talents of Kyle Lafferty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAmo 13 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Yes despite the fact he's played with the guy , he's a partick goalie so knows nothing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 So his intelligence is based on what level he's playing at? Thats ridiculous. He's played with the man ffs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfc_no1fan 13 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Tuffey is Laffertys mate, of course he is going to back him. Just like Ferguson backs McCulloch. Players opinions don't matter, they have to produce on the park Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric_Caldow 60 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Yes despite the fact he's played with the guy , he's a partick goalie so knows nothing. Going by your logic then Jock Wallace knew nothing as well since he was only a Berwick Rangers goalie. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts