Ross perry hopes to follow pal's path at ibrox

[ian1964 10,724]

By John McGarry, 15/11/2009

ROSS PERRY hopes to leave Oxford with honours in the New Year - to form Rangers' youngest ever central defensive partnership.

 

The Ibrox stopper, 19, is convinced his game has come on leaps and bounds since he was farmed out to the Conference side.

 

While he has been away, Perry has seen best pal Danny Wilson make an astonishing top-team breakthrough. And he feels the trail blazed by Wilson, 17, can only be good news for him.

 

Although David Weir and Madjid Bougherra stand in his way, he's confident he can break through to take his place beside Wilson each week.

 

Perry said: "I played alongside Danny for two years for Rangers and Scotland Under-19s. I get on really well with him which always helps and I know his play like the back of my hand.

 

"He is a confident boy and I would like to think I am too so if we got a chance to play in the first team together I would like to think we would do well together.

 

"It is all of our ambitions to play for the first team and it would be good for us and good for the Rangers youth development system if it were to happen.

 

"Danny is a great player, he is very capable and it just shows that given the chance all the boys are capable of stepping up.

 

"Watching him go in the way he has would give me a bit more confidence myself that I was capable of doing the same.

 

"I'm delighted for him and I gave him a call the other day just to chat about things so I know he can't believe it. But he is just really enjoying himself."

 

Even two years ago the concept of Rangers fielding two centre-halves with a combined age less than David Weir's wouldn't have been given house room.

 

But with a chill financial wind blowing through the club, the old cliche 'if you're good enough you're old enough' has never rung truer.

 

Danny Wilson

 

Perry's due to return to Ibrox in January and feels that the financial situation, added to the fact Algerian Bougherra could spend that month at the Africa Cup of Nations, means his timing might be just about perfect. He added: "It is going to be hard to move either Davie Weir or Madjid. It is just a waiting game really.

 

"But you never know because there is talk of Danny keeping Madjid out even when he is back because he is playing so well and of course, he could be away with Algeria in January.

 

"I would love the chance to do the same as Danny and I am hoping to go back in January and see what happens. I think it might be a good time to go back because if you look at it you can see they have been using the young boys a lot more.

 

"When you are a central defender it is normally harder maybe than if you a winger or a forward to get a chance because that is the last line of defence and the manager needs a lot of confidence to go and put a boy in.

 

"But take the game on Saturday there. Rangers had two young boys in the side and three on the bench. It just shows you they are focusing on using the young boys more.

 

"Two years ago I was involved in the first team a fair bit, the Hapoel Tel-Aviv game and I was on the bench from time to time. The year after, though, was a nightmare with injuries and I have kind of struggled to get going again. When I have played this year I have felt good, so it is just getting a consistent run together."

 

In the meantime, Perry hopes he can help Oxford maintain their handsome lead at the top of the table and continue an FA Cup run which he hopes might have a glamorous twist to it.

 

He said: "Things are going well with Oxford. We have only lost one league game which was to Mansfield and had a brilliant result last weekend in the FA Cup, beating Yeovil who are two leagues above us.

 

"We have got Barrow, a team who are in the same league as us in the next round, so we are all aiming to get through that and hopefully get a Premiership club in the third round.

 

"Growing up I always supported Manchester United, so a wee trip to Old Trafford would not go amiss."

 

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_sport/598751/Ross-Perry-hopes-to-follow-his-pal-into-Ibrox-first-team.html

[alexscottislegend 2,325]

In a thoroughly depressing week, this is probably the best news I have heard. We could conceivably build a central defence to last us years if these two live up to expectations. It would be a lot better than having to rely on a Ehiogu type signing or someone who just sees us as a stepping stone.

[maineflyer 0]

No one can tell me we haven't had the talent through Ibrox to win ten championships. I feel enormous excitement at the prospect of exploiting that talent.... when one day we have the management and backroom structures to do so.