THE continued progression of our young players has been central to a rewarding year for the Rangers Academy.<\/p>\n
From first-team debuts, productive loan spells, the retaining of high potential, and tasting league title success on the pitch, the last 12 months have proven particularly fruitful.<\/p>\n
Interim Head of Academy, David McCallum, sat down with RangersTV to discuss developments within the club\u2019s youth ranks.<\/p>\n
He spoke of his pride at three Academy players taking to the pitch on the final day of the previous campaign away to Falkirk, with Aiden McCallion, then 17, and Ashton Scally, 16, making their senior debuts.<\/p>\n
Winger Zebedee Lawson also made his second appearance for the first-team after making his Gers bow in the Scottish Cup triumph over Annan Athletic at Ibrox in January.<\/p>\n
McCallum said: \u201cWhen people talk about what the purpose of the Academy is, our underlying purpose is always to try and create players that can perform as part of our first-team squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had three players who managed to experience that last season in Aiden McCallion, Ashton Scally and Zebedee Lawson. You never know who exactly it\u2019s going to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are perhaps some players who are in a space where they get spoken about a little bit more; their potential is going to be realised a little bit quicker than others.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when it gets to the point where it becomes about the opportunity, it ultimately becomes the manager\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was those three, but it could have been a situation where it could have been two or three others.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully what it\u2019s done to those players who didn\u2019t quite get there is that they feel a bit more spark and belief that they\u2019re not too far away given the opportunities that those players got.\u201d<\/p>\n
In marking his first senior appearance on the final day, full-back Scally became one of the club\u2019s youngest ever debutants at just 16 years and 28 days.<\/p>\n
It was the culmination of linear growth across the season for the teenager, who began the campaign as part of the Under-17s group before starring for the first-team less than a month after signing his first professional contract.<\/p>\n
He signed professional terms in the same season where attacker Kyle Glasgow, also born in 2010, committed his future to the club, and McCallum says their respective journeys reflect the Academy\u2019s careful and considered forward planning for its high potential young players.<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cIt was very well-documented that there was interest from down south, but we began our plan for [Scally] very early on in the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was still 15 and we were looking ahead at what the season looked like. We built his schedule so he had his school programme which was really important.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the same time, while he was aged to play Under-17s, we felt he needed a little bit more of a challenge and we built a schedule where he could have gotten some Under-19s exposure.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe also got some exposure to the first-team in that time because we don\u2019t want it to come to a point where they have a glass ceiling and they can\u2019t get to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe manager was well-aligned and wanted to open up opportunities. Kyle Glasgow got that, and Luca Rankin too.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember a game against Motherwell behind closed doors during an international break when all three of those players picked up minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is young, but I\u2019m pleased from a club perspective that we didn\u2019t look at his age. The only restriction with their ages is that they couldn\u2019t play in any competitive moments, and obviously Ashton gets that on the last day of the season when he had turned 16.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe done the same with Kyle, Luca [Rankin] and one or two others in those spaces as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Further up the Academy, the loan system amid the introduction of co-operation agreements has proven particularly fruitful.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Paul Nsio at Raith Rovers, although a straight loan, scooped several individual accolades at the conclusion of the campaign for the Scottish Championship outfit, while winger Lewis Stewart was crowned Alloa Athletic\u2019s Player of the Year in League One.<\/p>\n
McCallum highlighted the case of midfielder Calum Adamson as an example of the loan co-operation system in full, beneficial effect.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cYou look at Calum who played for Alloa on the Saturday and sat on the bench for the first-team against Hearts the following day.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat comes about because of the good relationships we have with the clubs we\u2019re working with.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are lots of moving parts but a lot of conversations in order to keep players on a pathway where opportunities will open and, when they do, they can go and take them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a big jump. Some will do it directly, and the topical one right now is Findlay Curtis. He didn\u2019t go initially on a loan experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe found himself in the first-team squad and picked up minutes over the last year or two, then this season it was decided that it was the right time to go and pick up that loan experience in the same level as the first-team in the Premiership. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s done it a slightly different way. Others may need to go on loan sooner, and you look at the co-operation loans which have been really positive this season in bridging that gap.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always talk in Scottish football about the transition space between academy and first-team football.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not easy, and particularly with ourselves in terms of the jump trying to win a league and compete in European competitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to try and bridge that gap because from Under-19s to first-team is a jump. One or two players can do it, but others may need another step to get there.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur partnerships last season were very productive. I look at Lewis Stewart and Paul Nsio picking up Player of the Year awards, and also constant conversations with people who go to these games coming away talking about our players.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about building that talking moments and getting to a point where people go \u2018what\u2019s next for them?\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019ve started to do already. We haven\u2019t waited until the end of the season. We have started to put in plans and what this upcoming season will look like for individuals within those spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n
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