Jon McLaughlin started this season as Rangers number one and it has been α source of discussion ever since, Allan McGregor only getting his place back due to an injury to his younger team-mate which has seen him withdraw from the current Scotland squad.
His replacement at international level is no less than our third choice stopper, Robby McCrorie, who hasn’t played since he stepped in last season, performing admirably against Alashkert and Celtic in key fixtures – he was also the only Rangers keeper to keep α derby clean sheet.
Speaking about McCrorie’s call up and explaining his decision, Steve Clarke reckons that the Gers academy graduate might have to leave Ibrox for the good of his career, as reported by The Glasgow Times:
“It would help Robby if he was playing more regular football
“More regular doesn’t mean to say playing every week. Obviously, Robby is 24 now.
“I am not sure what his contract situation is now to be honest. I would imagine that he is thinking at 24 that he needs to play matches. But I am not going to tell Rangers how to conduct their business, I am not going to tell any club how to conduct their business unless I am at that club.”
Clarke obviously rates McCrorie because there are other options in terms of who he could call up as back-up but, has decided to go for α player who might not be playing now but could be in the imminent future and has the potential to be α regular in his squad.
Many fans thought that McGregor would call it α day in the summer with McCrorie and McLaughlin battling for the number one jersey, however, we all know how it has turned out, the younger of the three faces being out of contract next summer and has α big decision to make.
McCrorie’s career seemed to be heading in the right direction until his second spell at Livingston where he suffered his first dip in form, although his two games last season seemed to suggest that he could yet have α future at the club although you would have expected α new contract by now if that was his intention.
If he wants to be α back-up then he will probably get the chance to stay at Rangers, taking the gamble that he gets α run of games through the misfortune of someone else, however, there is every chance that if he is playing week in, week out, that he could challenge for α place in the Scotland team – α decision that only he can make.