Rangers have been winning trophies at every level this season, all that remains is that the first-team does it’s job and creates history next week with, or without, a striker leading the line.
This is an issue that hasn’t affected our age group teams though, usually, there is one name that sticks out like a sore thumb in the academy but for the first time in years we have a crop of very talented strikers who seem to be scoring at will.
In the Under-18s there is Rory Wilson, a hugely talented natural finisher who, unfortunately, looks to be heading to the Premier League with Liverpool and Aston Villa said to be interested, hitting nearly 40 goals in a season plus goals at international level will always attract attention.
Then there is Tony Weston who’s form even saw fans demand he be promoted to the first-team earlier this year when Kemar Roofe an Alfredo Morelos were both missing, like Wilson, he also has the best part of 40 goals to his name but for the B team, what the plan is for him next season will be very interesting – he certainly won’t be short of loan offers.
It is mainly Wilson and Weston that have been making the headlines, however, I don’t think either will regularly command a starting place in the first-team, Robbie Ure, on the other hand, has a great chance.
Not only has the 18-year old matched Wilson and Weston in the goal scoring charts but he has a massive advantage already in that he’s pushing 6ft 2inches tall and built like Connor Goldson, size isn’t everything but as a centre-forward – especially in Scotland – it certainly helps if you can handle yourself physically.
This doesn’t mean that Ure can only be used as a target man either, he’s got great feet and link up play and a decent turn of pace, for all that Weston might go out on loan, I’d prefer it if Ure spent more time at Auchenhowie next season leading the line for the B team and training with the first-team under the watchful eye of Roy Makaay – it’s been the best part of 40 years since we had a striker come through the academy and make an impact, we won’t get a better chance with the current crop but we have to get the next few years of their development right.