In the last 12-months we have seen new deals for Leon King, Alex Lowry and now Cole McKinnon, players who could all, one day, be playing regularly together for the Rangers first-team, persuading them to stay at the club could save us millions.
McKinnon’s contract extension was revealed by the club this week and, as reported by Football Scotland, the Scotland youth international is now expected to head out on loan.
A dream debut for the teenager saw him score against Hearts at Tynecastle and he will be hoping for many more opportunities like that in the future after he showed, against an experienced midfield on one of the toughest away grounds in Scotland, that he can handle the pressure of playing for Rangers, academy chief Craig Mulholland praising his attitude:
“He has an outstanding desire to win, is a supporter who cares about the club and we are all very excited to see him maximise the potential he has in the coming years here at Rangers.”
What I like about McKinnon is that he already has a good frame, almost essential for playing in the SPFL unless you are of a much higher technical ability and intelligence – think Steven Davis in this instance – and that he understands what it takes to be a Rangers midfielder.
By this, what I mean is that he is capable of doing the graft in his own half as well as contributing in the final third, it’s not acceptable – as John Lundstram and Ryan Jack have shown – to just do one thing well, you have to be able to do it all depending on the state of the game and the opposition.
Normally, I wouldn’t advocate a talented youngster going out on loan and if they did, I would prefer it to be in the Premiership, however, McKinnon has a lot of bodies in front of him in midfield and needs to be tested at a higher level, Lewis Mayo benefited from going to Partick Thistle and it may be that a similar move is made – one that he will no doubt make just as big a success of as his fellow Auchenhowie graduate.