Praise youth and it will prosper

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

“Praise Youth and it will prosperâ€

We will always remember David Murray’s announcement that the days of crazy spending were over and that youth development would form the backbone for the club for the future. Last year Roger Hannah writing in the Daily Mail suggested that 5 years on it was time for Murray Park to start bearing fruit.

“When chairman David Murray opened the facility in August 2001, he said: 'When we signed the contract to build it, I think that could be the best signing we've made in the last 20 years.' It was also stated that the true benefits of a facility which costs over [pounds sterling]1million each year would not become evident for five yearsâ€

Rather than the conveyor belt of talent we all hoped it would be Murray Park appeared to be more famous for a turnaround of coaching staff rather than a turnout of bright young stars. Admiring glances at the Ajax youth system only served to heighten our concerns regarding Murray Park’s lack of productivity.

However the emergence of Alan Hutton in the last few months would suggest that between Murray Park and the Ibrox coaching staff we are at last starting to get something right. The regular frequency of his outstanding performances have seen him establish himself as a regular for both club and country as well as rumours of interest from a number of premiership clubs. Without wishing to guesstimate his value I thnk it is probably fair to say he is worth more than we as a club could afford, or be prepared to spend on a player. In short we have produced a player of the caliber we could not otherwise afford – an excellent development

What makes his emergence as a star performer all the more astonishing is that not 12 months ago his performances made him a target for the boo boys. (Whether his performances warranted such treatment, or in fact if any player’s performances warrant such treatment, is perhaps another discussion altogether.)

One thing is for sure however – if our club is going to rely on bringing through youth then we as a support will have to develop much greater patience. Heckling and booing players will do little for their confidence and is likely to impede rather than accelerate their development.

As his confidence has grown Alan Hutton has blossomed into a right back of some distinction – which JR has written an excellent article on in his writers column.

As well as praising youth so that it prospers…its time for our support to not only praise the end result…but to be far more tolerant and patient on the road to that end result.

[Jimenez 1]

Hopefully releasing McCormack was a one off

I've been monitoring his progress and I feel we will live to regret his departure

[papaguy51 912]

Hopefully releasing McCormack was a one off

I've been monitoring his progress and I feel we will live to regret his departure

I'm not as sure about McCormack. I think he's found his level.

I remember him trying to control a ball 1st time on the half way line at Ibrox once, ended up back with our keeper!

Decent at free kicks, but for both Rangers and Ross, I think the right decision was made.

[Emerson 2]

Relying on a youth system can be hit and miss. For every Ajax there is an Aberdeen.

[Craigy 0]

Relying on a youth system can be hit and miss. For every Ajax there is an Aberdeen.

Or even a Motherwell who were fortunate to finish bottom and stay up!

Seems David Murray was right regarding 5 years to start seeing effects. In the last couple of seasons the likes of Alan Hutton, Stevie Smith, Charlie Adam and even the likes of McGregor has probably benefited from it. We also have the likes of Shinnie, Fleck, Lennon and Furman all coming through.

[finzster 0]

Hopefully releasing McCormack was a one off

I've been monitoring his progress and I feel we will live to regret his departure

I'm not as sure about McCormack. I think he's found his level.

I remember him trying to control a ball 1st time on the half way line at Ibrox once, ended up back with our keeper!

Decent at free kicks, but for both Rangers and Ross, I think the right decision was made.

Was McCormack released on the basis of ability or attitude?

Watching the lad, there is no questioning his technical ability (he is almost as good as McFadden was at the age); however his attitude has been questioned on many occassions since he left!

I heard a story that the Well players did not take to kindly to him showing his Porto goal on a daily basis (via mobile phone) when he first joined; and also that the 'virus' which curtailed his appearances last season was indeed a bust up with Malpas & Hegarty over training methods!

Since McGhee took over, he does look an altogether improved player.

I agree with Papaguy to an extent, in that I dont think he would seriously be looking to establish himself in the Rangers first team until perhaps this season. However, sometimes you need to take a backwards step in the short term to move forward in the long term.

Was there a sell on clause as part of the free, as I dont think he'll be hanging around Fir Park much longer?

I recall finding it very strange the Motherwell signed one of Rangers promising youngsters (who had scored in the CL) for a free transfer; perhaps PLG did not like his attitude.

Good or bad for Rangers, only time will tell; but if he keeps on improving he could end up one heck of a player!

[Craigy 0]

I'm sure i heard it was a £200k fee we recieved. Also that it was his attitude at Rangers that got him punted. He supposedly thought he was too good to play in the under 21's and thought he should be in the first team.

[blueben_d 40]

You touched on a point that I has long frustrated me, as a set of fans we are very impatient with players. Particularly young players who have come through the system, we seem to be a lot more tolerant of average performances from signings from abroad than we are with our younger players.

We need to remember that the youngsters also need time to settle into the team and more importantly to playing at a much higher level than the youth/reserves. While they may have the technical ability they need time to get used to the pace of the game and to get used to little mistakes in control resulting in loss of possesion whereas before they would have still kept the ball.

Instead of getting on the players backs we should be encouraging them. I was one of only a few voices saying that Hutton in particular was being unfairly targeted and that he had ability and it gives me great pleasure to say I told you so to those who doubted him.

Of course for every Hutton there is a Burke, but then who's to say if we didn't get behind Burke and encourage him that he couldn't have gone on to become a great player for us - there's no doubting the ability is there. Perhaps he still could, but I don't see him being given any patience if he did come back into the team for most of us he has already been written off and perhaps rightly so, but maybe just maybe it could have been different with a bit more patience from the fans, and of course a few less injuries for Chris.

Whittaker is one who hasn't come through our system but he is young and scottish and is already a target. He has had some decent performances and also some poor ones but instead of getting on his back we should encourage him. Maybe he simply isn't good enough, but we need to give the likes of him more time, playing for Rangers is a lot different to playing for Hibernian.

I wont go through all our younger players, these 3 are just examples, but we really need to be more tolerant and we could end up with more Huttons coming through and establishing themselves for us and internationally

[Briton 394]

Relying on a youth system can be hit and miss. For every Ajax there is an Aberdeen.

Youth development is a bit of a lottery IMO. People are still going on about Ajax...are they still having great success with their youngsters?

[bluelizzielou 0]

I wiz a definite supporter of Hutton when he started oot and I didnae turn ma back on him like some folk did. We should be encouraging aw oor players if they are gon oot and givin their all!

I think it's gona be more difficult for the young boys tae come and intae the ranks noo, as Watty is tryin tae build a team again and that takes experience and it just goes tae show that Murray Park is working when the likes o Fergie wisnae getting games before Watty left the 1st time roon. Advocat gave the young boy Fergie a go & I don't think there's a fan that would be without him.

You'll always hav the odd big heid (I think Burke is 1), but I think the fault there is his faither being his agent and it's things like that that ruins players.

I hope Hutton has the heart tae stay wae us & I hope oer the next 3 years, cause I believe that is wit it will tak for us tae see young boys coming fae Murray Park and really making their place in the team.

Don't kick somebody when they're doon, we aw hav bad days (or weeks or months), if ye stick by them (lik every fan does on a team basis) they will pay ye back in the end! :classier_than_pipeguy:

[dundeebear70 0]

If we can get one or two players coming through each year we should be happy. Any more than that is a bonus.

[CanadianGer 1]

As well as praising youth so that it prospers…its time for our support to not only praise the end result…but to be far more tolerant and patient on the road to that end result.

D'Art, was it yourself who wrote the excellent piece on Hateley the other week and how fans had rained abuse on him before suddenly taking a liking to him? I think as fans we have developed a tendency to be very, very critical of many of our players and a little indulgent of some others.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

As well as praising youth so that it prospers…its time for our support to not only praise the end result…but to be far more tolerant and patient on the road to that end result.

D'Art, was it yourself who wrote the excellent piece on Hateley the other week and how fans had rained abuse on him before suddenly taking a liking to him? I think as fans we have developed a tendency to be very, very critical of many of our players and a little indulgent of some others.

Nope not me CG

[Bazza 21]

I think being critical of players is part and parcel of every set of fans. Everyone needs a scapegoat, someone to blame when things go wrong. We've had a few, Bob Malcolm, Namouchi, Adam the most recent.

As for the development, I think we've come a long way since MP was first unvieled and the "new breed" of youngster comming through, just look at recent Scotland youth squads, shows an awful lot of promise for the comming years.

[JR 1,480]

The lack of money in the game North of the Border has also contributed to the recent influx of good young Scottish talent in SPL first XI's. Clubs can no longer go out and buy the quality they once could - including both halves of the OF - we have to grow our own to supplement what little cash we have.

It can only be good for us in the long run and its fair to say that the Ntional side is also reaping the rewards and hopefully continue to do so.