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Telfer to skip ahead on road to the top flight

 

Staff writer

Monday 2 June 2014

 

THE journey continues for Rangers next season but there was confirmation last night that one of their most promising young players has decided to go on ahead.

Charlie Telfer, once an star student of the Ibrox club's youth academy, will today sign for Dundee United.

 

It is a move which will take the 18-year-old midfielder into Scotland's top division at least a year before Rangers will be able to catch up; Telfer divining that he will given an opportunity to practise his skills in the top flight with a side which depends already on players his age. The midfielder last week represented Scotland Under-19s and found himself alongside two of the leading lights at Tannadice - Ryan Gauld, 18, and John Souttar, 17. Telfer will now follow them both back to Tayside and, he will hope, into United's first team.

 

Every inch of Telfer's slight frame betrays a young player still with some growing to do, while he only made his debut in the Rangers first team last year. He was on the Ochilview pitch for 22 minutes as the Ibrox side won 4-0 against Stenhousemuir. Still, his ability excited his coaches at Ibrox and the club dismissed an offer of £100,000 from United earlier in the campaign.

 

His promise is not one which Rangers have been able to keep, though, and Telfer will formalise his move to Tannadice this afternoon. He signs as a free agent but Rangers still warrant a development fee, the value of which will be decided upon by an independent panel if officials from both clubs reach an impasse.

 

Telfer had last week spoken of the factors which would decide his next move having allowed his contract at Rangers to expire. He discussed the offer from United with his family and wanted to be certain that he would be given the chance to play competitive matches and that he would command the faith of his manager.

 

The teenager was made aware of the high regard in which he is held by Jackie McNamara, the United manager who has been attentive in watching Telfer's progress at Murray Park. The midfielder is likely to have been impressed too, by McNamara's willingness to field young players.

 

To Souttar and Gauld can be added the names of Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Dow, Gary Mackay-Steven and Andrew Robertson, young players who have all grown to be prominent at United. "My aim for next season is to push for first-team football, wherever I am," said Telfer last week. The question of where seems now to have been answered.

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/telfer-to-skip-ahead-on-road-to-the-top-flight.24373794

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As truly heart breaking as Charlie Telfer's decision is for Bears, it is the frightening reality of our club's situation.

 

.............. and Graham Wallace says?

 

I've got to get my bonus from somewhere!

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How many on here have seen Telfer play? How many on here go regularly to our youth games? How many on here really know what sort of "talent" Charlie Telfer is?

 

I do not. What I do note is that more often than not many of our players who are playing for the first squad get dogs abuse by those keyboard warriors. Folk who want to see our youngsters play instead, people they hardly ever see in person. And for some reason people assume that all our youngsters are of the same talented ilk as Macleod or Aird. Not least because even those warriors' grannies are better than those sporting the first team's colours. Aye right.

Some people howl in derision about some of our players' "lack of quality". People likewise howl in derision when one of our youngsters is released or jumps ship. No matter the reason. We've sent dozens of young players - thought to be talented - away over the years and you have to look rather hard to find anyone of those making a real name out of himself. 1 in 20? 2 in 20? Does our keyboard experts know how good Telfer actually is? What sort of smashing player he will become?

 

I for one wish him all the best and hope he becomes a fine footballer. Right now, his place in the Rangers midfield is barred by Macleod, Law, Black, Aird, McKay and Co.. Why would he stay? Do we actually know whether there are different reasons than playing first team football too? Nope. But let's have a go at the current regime nonetheless. Have a go at their youth strategy, if any. A youth team an strategy that will fail when one or two players leave for pastures new. Well well.

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whether telfer is the new pele or a total dud is irrelevant. rangers want him to stay but he wants to leave because dundee utd have a better youth set up than us.

 

fwiw hes one of the best talents in scotland at that age group. if not the best.

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whether telfer is the new pele or a total dud is irrelevant. rangers want him to stay but he wants to leave because dundee utd have a better youth set up than us.

 

fwiw hes one of the best talents in scotland at that age group. if not the best.

 

I was under the impression that he's not exactly out to play youth football again? The main reason for him leaving? We shall see whether he developes his talent, I for one wish him all the best.

 

NB: I would assume that we are still trying to win youth league titles, hence offering him a new contract makes sense.

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