Visibly nervous and struggling against a high-pressing Crystal Palace outfit, Rangers’ 16-year-old goalkeeper Rydnn McGuire may have been fearing the worst.
Steven Smith’s Rangers B outfit hosted Crystal Palace on Monday afternoon.
And as the visitors looked to force mistakes from the baby-faced shot-stopper in the home goal, McGuire, by his own admission, found the going tough in the opening 45 minutes. That is to be expected, of course, for a 16-year-old looking to seize his chance to impress alongside a host of first-teamers dropping down to the second string.
Fortunately, McGuire had a couple of more senior players around him to provide protection and to impart some advice.
Clinton Nsiala’s whirlwind start to 2025 suffered it’s first dip when Barry Ferguson hauled the former AC Milan youngster off half-an-hour into that 4-2 comeback win over Kilmarnock. Nsiala was then left out against Motherwell, and now finds himself back with the reserves.
And when Rangers signed Rafael Fernandes on loan from LOSC Lille, it’s fair to say this was not the occasion a Portugal Under-21 international with 13 games in the Primeira Liga on his CV would have been rubbing his hands together for.
Yet, as McGuire explains, Rafael Fernandes and Clinton Nsiala were nothing but professional as Alexander Smith assisted Calum Adamson’s winner against Crystal Palace.
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Rangers starlet raves about Rafael Fernandes and Clinton Nsiala influence
Fernandes, in particular, was a massive help to the youngster between the sticks. He was the oldest member of the Rangers XI at the age of 22, and that experience certainly showed.
“Tough, tough game. Tough test,” McGuire reflects. “Great for me to be a young one playing with first-team layers and experienced boys. It was a really tough test and I enjoyed it.
“[Crystal Palace] never took their foot of the gas, pressed really high. I struggled with that in the first-half. But once you kind of break it down at half-time with the team talks and tactical work, I think our playing out really improved in the second-half. [The clean sheet] is just a bonus.
“[Playing behind Fernandes and Nsiala was] different!,” he adds. “The two defenders don’t really speak English so I kind of had to adapt that way.
“Rafa Fernandes was really good with me, he took me under his wing when I struggled in the first-half he kind of talked me through it. I really appreciate that from him.
“And Clinton was solid at the back. He dug the team out with last-ditch tackles and clearances. Two different types of way to help me today but I really enjoyed it.
“You know when a player comes down from the first-team just from the presence they have. I was nervous but you just see the presence right away and they take you under your wing. It was good to play today.”
Rydnn McGuire taking inspiration from Ibrox starlet Mason Munn
McGuire has spent some time training with Rangers’ first-team of late. There is certainly no shortage of lessons he can learn from Jack Butland and Liam Kelly.
It is Mason Munn who McGuire looks up to for inspiration the most, however. A goalkeeper just two years his senior, but with one senior outing under his belt already at the age of 18.
“When I came two years ago, Mason was a Under-18 player,” McGuire recalls. “Watching him progress to the first-team, that’s what I want to do one day.
“Then you’ve got Liam Kelly, he’s the man you go to when you’re a young boy. He really helps you settle in. And Jack just takes you under his wing, he made me feel welcome straight away and I appreciate that.
“You’ve just got to hold your standard. You’re there for a reason. You’re clearly good enough, so you just feed off what the older boys do. One day, I hope that will be me.
“You learn so much just from being there.”
