Lifelong bluenose, Greg Docherty, signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Rangers when he joined from Hamilton Academical, back in January 2018.
Yet, other than a brief stint shortly after his arrival, he’s yet to get much of a run in the team. One doesn’t look like coming anytime soon, either, unless he forces the manager’s hand.
Rangers midfielder Docherty needs to turn situation around
Since taking over the reins at Ibrox, Steven Gerrard has recruited heavily in midfield.
Glen Kamara, Steven Davis, Scott Arfield, Joe Aribo and Andy King have all come in. It’s fair to say that Docherty is currently behind all those players in the pecking order, as well as Ryan Jack, from the pre-Gerrard era.
On Thursday, he was left out of the club’s Europa League squad for the group stages [UEFA.com]. He hasn’t made the bench for the last number of league fixtures, either.
You wouldn’t say that this is due to any glaring error on the 22-year-old’s part. He didn’t have a great game against East Fife in the League Cup, but he did pretty well during pre-season and when given a chance during the Europa League qualifiers.
Those followed on from an excellent loan spell at Shrewsbury Town last season where he did everything asked of him. He went away and played games, scored goals, notched assists and won the Player of the Year Award [ShrewsburyTown.com]. Fans were itching to see him back at Ibrox.
It’s just that the manager has so many quality options in the middle of the park, that he doesn’t fit in right now. So much so, that it seems Peterborough United had negotiated a transfer with Rangers, only for Docherty to turn it down [Football League World].
It’s clear he’s desperate to make this work and that’s commendable. You get the feeling he has to make his move quickly, though.
He’s got to somehow force his way back into the reckoning and get a run in the side. Players like Joe Aribo and Glen Kamara didn’t cover themselves in glory during the Old Firm, and therefore there might be a slight opening if he can up his own levels in training.
Realistically, though, he might have to wait until the League Cup Quarter-Final against Livingston later this month for some action.
When that next chance comes, though, he has to take it.
Regardless of your commitment, a lack of playing time will soon get old and if he barely features between now and January, the next time an EFL club comes in for him, he might just have to take them up on their offer.
