Rangers were unlucky to leave Portugal with just a draw for their efforts but one player who wouldn’t have been too disappointed is Cole McKinnon.
The Gers academy product has impressed Philippe Clement recently and was rewarded with a place in the squad for the trip to face Benfica, his efforts should see him keep his place for the return leg at Ibrox.
This time last season, Rangers had Cole McKinnon out on loan, now, he’s proving that money can be saved by moving on a big earner who has contributed little.
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Rangers can save money with Cole McKinnon promotion
I’ve long held the belief that players coming through the academy shouldn’t see Barry Ferguson or Allan McGregor as the standard they have to match.
These guys are hall of fame legends, there is a reason why it is so rare for players to come through the youth set up and become international regulars and worth millions of pounds.
If players from Rangers that come through Auchenhowie can supplement the first-team squad and contribute then they are doing their job, just like Cole McKinnon did in Portugal.
The 21-year old got a key block in on Angel di Maria as the Argentina legend fired a shot that was heading towards the bottom corner.
Speaking after the game, McKinnon was clearly buzzing:
“I tried to get up and down the pitch and I did that well. It shows the belief the manager has in the young boys and I am hoping for more appearances.
“I wasn’t happy with a few of my touches, but I am happy we managed to get the draw.
“It is gutting not to win in the end, but it is good to take the draw back to Ibrox as everyone knows what it is like on a European night.
“After that, I can’t wait to get home and get training. It is eye opening for me.
“I loved every minute of it and it is the same as making my debut.
“Hopefully there is more to come but I know there is a lot of hard work to come and that is something that I am – a hard worker.”
Being a Rangers fan, there are shades of Bob Malcolm about Cole McKinnon.
He knows that he isn’t a world beater but that Philippe Clement appreciates players who are honest, listen to instructions and work hard.
Given how many players are in front of him in the queue for minutes, he has to be realistic but, given what McKinnon is capable of, do we really need to keep Kieran Dowell on £16,000 per week, according to Salary Sport, to essentially do the same job?
Rangers need to get the wage bill down and having someone on this sort of salary who isn’t going to play regularly is a waste of money.
Clement has shown that he will trust younger players, if they are good enough, and McKinnon has proven that he is.
