Head of Youth Jimmy Sinclair:

[Boab 73]

By Darryl Broadfoot

JIMMY SINCLAIR would rather be a loser than a winner.

Rangers' head of youth development admits he takes greater satisfaction from seeing his young charges progress to the first team than winning trophies at age-group level.

He has his work cut out to satisfy Walter Smith's demands in the summer, with the manager determined to supplement a slimmer first-team squad this summer with eight of the hottest prospects from Murray Park.

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John Fleck is the new poster boy for Rangers' academy and has been joined in the first-team squad already this season by Danny Wilson, Jamie Ness and Andrew Little.

Others have been farmed out on loan for essential work experience: Rory Loy, Jordan McMillan, Steven Lennon, Andrew Shinnie and Georgios Ephram all expected to return wiser from their travels.

Sinclair will happily contradict his philosophy tonight when his under-19 side meet the newly crowned league champions Hibernian in the Youth Cup final at Hampden Park.

But he admits the career prospects have never been greater for talented teenagers at Murray Park.

"There is no better time to be a young Rangers player," he said.

"Guys like Fleck are a clear example of what is now attainable. The better players, or the ones showing most promise, are around on a daily basis to train with the first team so it becomes a tangible target.

"It is well documented that in the summer the manager will make strides to reduce the first-team pool and everybody is conscious of the impact that will have on the youth set-up.

"It puts a but more pressure on us to produce, but it is preferable to doing our jobs and not having kids get an opportunity."

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/displa...are_alright.php

Still don't trust Walter to bring these youngsters thro but I do rate Sinclair highly.

[GeneralCartmanLee 313]

By Darryl Broadfoot

JIMMY SINCLAIR would rather be a loser than a winner.

Rangers' head of youth development admits he takes greater satisfaction from seeing his young charges progress to the first team than winning trophies at age-group level.

He has his work cut out to satisfy Walter Smith's demands in the summer, with the manager determined to supplement a slimmer first-team squad this summer with eight of the hottest prospects from Murray Park.

advertisement

John Fleck is the new poster boy for Rangers' academy and has been joined in the first-team squad already this season by Danny Wilson, Jamie Ness and Andrew Little.

Others have been farmed out on loan for essential work experience: Rory Loy, Jordan McMillan, Steven Lennon, Andrew Shinnie and Georgios Ephram all expected to return wiser from their travels.

Sinclair will happily contradict his philosophy tonight when his under-19 side meet the newly crowned league champions Hibernian in the Youth Cup final at Hampden Park.

But he admits the career prospects have never been greater for talented teenagers at Murray Park.

"There is no better time to be a young Rangers player," he said.

"Guys like Fleck are a clear example of what is now attainable. The better players, or the ones showing most promise, are around on a daily basis to train with the first team so it becomes a tangible target.

"It is well documented that in the summer the manager will make strides to reduce the first-team pool and everybody is conscious of the impact that will have on the youth set-up.

"It puts a but more pressure on us to produce, but it is preferable to doing our jobs and not having kids get an opportunity."

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/displa...are_alright.php

Still don't trust Walter to bring these youngsters thro but I do hate Sinclair highly.

[hooksy 0]

Would be nice to see a couple become regulars in the next season or two..Fleck and wilson looking like the favs for that.

[cornelius11 74]

Others have been farmed out on loan for essential work experience: Rory Loy, Jordan McMillan, Steven Lennon, Andrew Shinnie and Georgios Ephram all expected to return wiser from their travels.

Surely Dean Furman would be in the frame here too.

I hope we dont let him go, a good young player with alot of potential.

[Railcard 2]

Stevie Lennon is P*SH

Archie Campbell Loyal

[J_RFC87 762]

Others have been farmed out on loan for essential work experience: Rory Loy, Jordan McMillan, Steven Lennon, Andrew Shinnie and Georgios Ephram all expected to return wiser from their travels.

Surely Dean Furman would be in the frame here too.

I hope we dont let him go, a good young player with alot of potential.

Think Furman will take either Mendes' or Edu's place? Even Thomson's?

I think Lennon will be realised.

[MisterC 12,455]

Others have been farmed out on loan for essential work experience: Rory Loy, Jordan McMillan, Steven Lennon, Andrew Shinnie and Georgios Ephram all expected to return wiser from their travels.

Surely Dean Furman would be in the frame here too.

I hope we dont let him go, a good young player with alot of potential.

Think Furman will take either Mendes' or Edu's place? Even Thomson's?

I think Lennon will be realised.

what will he realise?

[ShootSpeedKillLight 0]

Yeah, I'm sure every youth player wants to be treated like Fleck. Played out of position for a few games until you have a couple of sub-par performances, and then dumped out of the team.

[Boab 73]

Yeah, I'm sure every youth player wants to be treated like Fleck. Played out of position for a few games until you have a couple of sub-par performances, and then dumped out of the team.

This is what Rangers must mean by their advertising their Football Schools:

Play the Rangers Way - http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Re...ps/0,,5,00.html

[ManchestGer 347]

It'll be good to see some of the youngsters coming through to the first team, we've got some good promising players.

[Shuggy07 5]

20 years too late for me. ah well better late than never for the young lads now i guess.

[Elwood 0]

About time but the possibility of at some point in the season having to rely on a team of kids because of injury is concerning. If we don't win the title this season it could be some time before we're in a position to do so again.

[Tumshie 205]

It's the only forward for us while the Premiership is going the way it is. Whenever we get a good player we will be forced to sell after a year. We need to produce younger players the same way teams such as Ajax, Porto and PSV do. However that still doesn't mean we can't be successful

[GeneralCartmanLee 313]

Yeah, I'm sure every youth player wants to be treated like Fleck. Played out of position for a few games until you have a couple of sub-par performances, and then dumped out of the team.

Fleck was given ample chances...he has a long rangers career ahead of him and has had a good introduction to the first team, he just wasn't quite ready to produce every right now....i have no dount that will come..

Our priority is winning the league not John Fleck

[sairdy 0]

I was at a sportsman dinner a few months ago. It was supposed to be Donald Findlay, Hugh Burns and Jim liieshman, sadly Jim could not make it, his wife was really ill. Mark Hately filled in for him. Instead of the usual stories and anicdotes he done a Q&A for about an hour. He said that there were 2 centre halfs that were nearly ready for the first team, oddly he thought that they may be sold because there was a group of youngsters comming threw that were much better and they may overtake the 2 that were nearly ready. He was very very optamistic on the kids that were comming threw.

Does anybody watch the kids play on a regular basis?

[nvager 498]

I was at a sportsman dinner a few months ago. It was supposed to be Donald Findlay, Hugh Burns and Jim liieshman, sadly Jim could not make it, his wife was really ill. Mark Hately filled in for him. Instead of the usual stories and anicdotes he done a Q&A for about an hour. He said that there were 2 centre halfs that were nearly ready for the first team, oddly he thought that they may be sold because there was a group of youngsters comming threw that were much better and they may overtake the 2 that were nearly ready. He was very very optamistic on the kids that were comming threw.

Does anybody watch the kids play on a regular basis?

Did he name these CHs?

[Wreckedroy 33]

Yeah, I'm sure every youth player wants to be treated like Fleck. Played out of position for a few games until you have a couple of sub-par performances, and then dumped out of the team.

Any excuse for a pop at Smith eh!

Fleck has been given the 5-star treatment by Rangers since the day he signed and was handed his 1st team debut earlier than any other Rangers player in many years. He was told at the time that he would play a few games then be given a rest, which is exactly what happened. As for being played out of position.......the boy is still far too young to have a defined position yet. Until he gets a bit more top-team experience no-one, including you, has any idea what his best position will be.

Any sensible 17yr-old would absolutely love to be in Flecks place right now, and anyone who can't understand that is either dim-witted or blinded by their own twisted agenda.

[sairdy 0]

I was at a sportsman dinner a few months ago. It was supposed to be Donald Findlay, Hugh Burns and Jim liieshman, sadly Jim could not make it, his wife was really ill. Mark Hately filled in for him. Instead of the usual stories and anicdotes he done a Q&A for about an hour. He said that there were 2 centre halfs that were nearly ready for the first team, oddly he thought that they may be sold because there was a group of youngsters comming threw that were much better and they may overtake the 2 that were nearly ready. He was very very optamistic on the kids that were comming threw.

Does anybody watch the kids play on a regular basis?

Did he name these CHs?

Sorry nvager, he may have but I cant remember, he did say they were playing for the under 21's. I know thats not much help.

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,616]

I suspect it may have been Ross Harvey and Danny Wilson.

[ShootSpeedKillLight 0]

Any excuse for a pop at Smith eh!

Fleck has been given the 5-star treatment by Rangers since the day he signed and was handed his 1st team debut earlier than any other Rangers player in many years. He was told at the time that he would play a few games then be given a rest, which is exactly what happened. As for being played out of position.......the boy is still far too young to have a defined position yet. Until he gets a bit more top-team experience no-one, including you, has any idea what his best position will be.

Any sensible 17yr-old would absolutely love to be in Flecks place right now, and anyone who can't understand that is either dim-witted or blinded by their own twisted agenda.

So that's why McCoist (who no doubt knows more about Fleck than I do) said in no uncertain terms that Fleck is a striker? Ok then. There's a difference between criticising Smith and me having a 'twisted agenda' against him. I'm sure you know that, but then I suppose it's easier to dismiss someone's opinions when you've convinced yourself they're irrational or inaccurate.

And yes, any 17-year old probably would kill to be in the position Fleck's in, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the club couldn't have managed his introduction into the first team more effectively than they have.