If Rangers player trading model is to be fully effective, Philippe Clement has to start seeing more club trained players making the step up to the first team.
The manager regularly has players from the academy in the squad, but only Ross McCausland has made any sort of real impact.
With Zeb Jacobs rumoured to be leaving Auchenhowie in his role as Rangers academy director, there is one problem that Philippe Clement will want fixed by whoever replaces him.
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Rangers failing Philippe Clement with B team shambles
At the end of last season, despite being one of the main drivers and seeing the young Gers team finish second twice in a row, the club took the decision to withdraw from the Lowland League.
The reason, was the SFA’s removal of a vote on a proposed Conference League that could have seen a higher standard of football for the B sides.
This year has seen a different approach which contradicts a statement released by Rangers:
“Our view on B Teams was also strongly supported by the Scottish FA and its CEO Ian Maxwell, who recognise the clear, beneficial impact B Teams have on top international sides.
“For 18–21 year-old footballers, our research and the evidence clearly shows the best path for their development is playing professional football in professional leagues.
“A Conference League would have been a positive move towards that.”
B team plan has to be priority for academy chieff
It’s almost like Rangers have cut their nose off to spite their face and it is Philippe Clement that is being affected the most.
Under the club’s current ‘best v best’ programme, the B team hasn’t played since the 9 of April, before that, it was the 11 of March.
Less than 10 games have been played in 2024.
How can players possibly develop playing non-competitive games once a month?
Zeb Jacobs might be revolutionary in his approach to player development, but anybody could see why the project they chose this season was doomed to failure.
Alongside the B team playing in the Lowland League, the best v best is a great idea, however, on its own, it is pointless.
Take Johnly Yfeko as an example.
The 20-year old defender impressed in pre-season fixtures but hasn’t really been seen since despite a shortage of left-backs in recent months.
If he had been playing games, he might have been able to impress the Rangers manager.
Without regular and competitive games there is no pathway to the first-team and there certainly can’t be any expectations if they do make it.
Cole McKinnon had barely kicked a ball in 2024, next thing he knows he is being thrown on against Benfica away from home in the last 16 of the Europa League.
That he didn’t let anyone down says it all about his mentality.
Whoever replaces Jacobs has to fix this issue of progress for 17-18 year olds to the first-team.
It is a huge gap and one that, at the moment, is only getting bigger.
