Rangers have been drifting for too many years, making do and hoping that things would get better and corners would be turned without really taking the action to make things happen.
One area that needs particular attention is the Rangers academy with a lack of talented players fulfilling their potential or transfer fees being received a stumbling block towards the club being self-sufficient.
Nils Koppen made changes behind the scenes with the B team being scrapped and the Under-18s, led by Steven Smith, being the senior development team.
There is still the need for players above this age group and first team players returning to fitness to get games, which is why Crystal Palace were visitors to Auchenhowie for a bounce game.
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Alex Smith outshines senior teammates as Rangers beat Crystal Palace
The Rangers starting XI featured £4m winger Oscar Cortes, Bailey Rice, Clinton Nsiala, Rafael Fernandes, Ross McCausland and Findlay Curtis, most of whom only played 60 minutes with one eye on the Europa League on Thursday.
Despite the six senior Rangers squad members playing, it was one of the youngest players on the pitch who caught the eye with Alex Smith providing a moment of magic to give his side a 1-0 win.
Smith made his way through Palace’s defence before crossing for Calum Adamson to score.
It was a useful run out for both the first-team and Under-18 players against a well-drilled and talented Premier League team.
Who is Alex Smith?
Signed in the summer, the 16-year old playmaker was being chased by Arsenal, amongst other elite level teams. Smith though signed with Rangers, putting pen to paper on his first professional contract with the Gers.
Such was the attention on the teenage No.10, even transfer supremo Fabrizio Romano was on the case:
“Alexander Smith has signed a three-year professional contract at Rangers, deal done. Eligible for USA & Scotland, Smith picked Rangers ahead of strong options in MLS and Premier League.”
Despite his diminutive 5ft 5inch stature, Smith’s talent has seen him playing above his age group for some time, being a regular in the Under-18s and now, the B team.
Eligible for both the USA – who he has represented at Under-17 level – and Scotland – who he has also represented at Under-17 level – Smith was a coup for Rangers to bring to an academy with a questionable success rate.
Smith is the latest hot prospect to be an age group stand out and the hope will be that he doesn’t follow in the footsteps of the likes of Alex Lowry and leave without make any real impact on the first-team.
Lowry was let down by the lack of a pathway from Under-18s to senior football, a mistake that can’t be made with Smith too – if Rangers want to close the gap to Celtic both on and off the pitch.
