Defensive Options For Boss

[Zappa 0]

Thursday, 13 February 2014 15:45

Defensive Options For Boss

Written by Andrew Dickson

 

ALLY McCOIST has hinted he’s likely to go for experience over youth at the back when Rangers travel to Ayr in League One this weekend.

 

The manager has admitted teenage defenders Luca Gasparotto and Craig Halkett are in his thoughts after a series of good displays for the under-20s in recent weeks.

 

Playing under Gordon Durie, they’ve helped the team to nine wins in a row and have only just seen a run of 703 minutes without conceding from open play come to an end.

 

McCoist will be without his captain Lee McCulloch and French Tunisian Bilel Mohsni for the trip to Somerset Park as the pair serve suspensions.

 

That leaves gaps to be filled in his rearguard and plenty of supporters would love to see the youngsters given an opportunity.

 

But whoever plays will come up against the most experienced opposition forward in the league, ex-Gers and former English Premiership player Kevin Kyle.

 

McCoist is wary of the 10-time Scotland international who, while in the latter part of his career, is still capable of making an impact.

 

Despite struggling with injuries during his time at Ibrox, Kyle has overcome them to play for the Honest Men 20 times this season and score four goals as a foil for Michael Moffat.

 

Although he has still to finalise his plans for the game, it appears McCoist will opt for a pairing of Sebastien Faure and Emilson Cribari to deal with Kyle on the west coast.

 

Faure has made 22 starts for Gers this season and although Cribari has just three to his name, he was a regular last term as he made the first XI on 33 occasions.

 

McCoist said: “We’ve got some good fixtures in the coming weeks and we’d be very hopeful we can win the league then have a chance to look at one or two boys.

 

“Nothing would give us more pleasure than giving some of the lads an opportunity in the first team.

 

“The boys are doing well very but it’s a different game on Saturday. It’s not an under-20 game and it’s against one of the most experienced strikers in the league.

 

“Kevin, I would suggest, has been over the course and distance and he knows his way about the football park.

 

“The best way I can put it is by saying Gasparotto and Halkett are acquitting themselves very well.

 

“They’re certainly in our thoughts and it’s a compliment to the young lads that we’re thinking about them but we’ve other options too.

 

“Sebastien has been playing at right-back and Emilson has been on the bench as well so that’s something we could think about as Richard Foster could come in at right-back.

 

“A decision has not been made yet but Kenny (McDowall), Ian (Durrant), Jim (Stewart) and myself will sit down and have a talk about it.”

 

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6314-defensive-options-for-boss

[andy steel 0]

I know I've said this before, but Ayr in February, not Ayr in May.

 

What a chance missed to bring in several hundred thousand pounds to the local economy.

 

Scottish football, pah.

[ThatsWhyWeirChamps 0]

How do you reconcile that with this, Ally?

 

http://rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6147-kids-will-get-chance

 

I have more chance of playing in a title-winning Rangers squad than Emilson, why on earth would you play him ahead of one of our young players?

 

If Gasparotto is 5th or worse in the pecking order in League One, how can he reasonably be expected to move up as the team progresses?

[Super_Ally 0]

Disappointing. The league may not be mathematically won. But it is won. Play them now.

[Super Cooper 0]

Underwhelming.

[Zappa 0]

I have more chance of playing in a title-winning Rangers squad than Emilson, why on earth would you play him ahead of one of our young players?

 

If Gasparotto is 5th or worse in the pecking order in League One, how can he reasonably be expected to move up as the team progresses?

 

It's difficult to fathom what sort of thinking was behind even signing him in the first place. Signing a 32 year old Brazilian defender who didn't speak our language and hadn't played regular football since 2010 seems like the sort of thing that some people might do in a football management computer game, but in real life? Why exactly did we need a big glaikit looking 32 year old defender who didn't speak English?

 

Green & co allowing crazy signings like that remind me of the old Harry Enfield character Loadsamoney waving fat bundles of 50 quid notes around.

[TheTinMan99 0]

Talking up big Kyle as if he's on fire. 4 in 20 games is hardly worth shiteing it from. I'd be worried if our best U-20 CH's couldn't handle the likes of KK.

[bluebear54 0]

Talking up big Kyle as if he's on fire. 4 in 20 games is hardly worth shiteing it from. I'd be worried if our best U-20 CH's couldn't handle the likes of KK.

 

Gobsmacked to see he has 10 caps too.

We must really have been bereft of talent.

[barca72 440]

It's difficult to fathom what sort of thinking was behind even signing him in the first place. Signing a 32 year old Brazilian defender who didn't speak our language and hadn't played regular football since 2010 seems like the sort of thing that some people might do in a football management computer game, but in real life? Why exactly did we need a big glaikit looking 32 year old defender who didn't speak English?

 

Green & co allowing crazy signings like that remind me of the old Harry Enfield character Loadsamoney waving fat bundles of 50 quid notes around.

 

We took the best that we could get in those heady six days of signing whatever flotsam was available. Now, a two year contract seems excessive but he had to attract an experienced player any way he could.

[Super Cooper 0]

It's difficult to fathom what sort of thinking was behind even signing him in the first place. Signing a 32 year old Brazilian defender who didn't speak our language and hadn't played regular football since 2010 seems like the sort of thing that some people might do in a football management computer game, but in real life? Why exactly did we need a big glaikit looking 32 year old defender who didn't speak English?

 

Green & co allowing crazy signings like that remind me of the old Harry Enfield character Loadsamoney waving fat bundles of 50 quid notes around.

 

Easy to kick them, what about the guys who wanted him, signed him and now choose to drop him? Given his past experience in the game i can't imagine he is here for the bog standard £5-8k a week!