Looking back to the earlier months of this season, it’s easy to forget just how bad our injury list was. Scott Arfield and Steven Davis starting Champions League games in midfield together with James Sands and Leon King in the centre of defence, the only surprise was that the results weren’t worse than they were.
In King though, what we have seen is the emergence of a genuine long-term prospect who was thrown in at the deepest of deepends, at 18-years old he did as well as could be expected for one so inexperienced but he still has a lot to learn.
With John Souttar back fit and Ben Davies and Connor Goldson looking like they are building a decent partnership, King finds himself further down the pecking order, however, speaking to Football Insider, Alan Hutton has backed the Scotland youth cap to remain part of the manager’s plans:
“You always want to see the young players breaking through and there has to be a pathway to the first team.
“If not, what is the point of it being there? I think Leon King has had a fair crack at it. The position at centre-half was difficult, especially under Van Bronckhorst when he kept having to change things. He did have opportunity to play.
“Moving forward Goldson is a starter, Souttar is coming back, Davies has built up a good partnership, it is going to be difficult for him. But I think ultimately if you are good enough you will play.
“It does not matter what age you are if you should the manager you are good enough then you will play. It is up to him to play at that level where the manager has to pick him.“
King will be allowed to develop at his own pace again, even if Michael Beale gets his wish and brings in another centre-half in the summer. Playing alongside Goldson, Davies and Souttar will be a huge difference from playing with Sands.
He will also get to train with them on a daily basis and, if he listens to what they have to say, it will help him a lot more than if he went out on loan to a lower league team in Scotland.
King’s weaknesses were exposed at the highest level against some of the finest strikers around, there is no shame in that, if he learns from that experience though, then he will be a valuable asset for years to come and a regular in the Rangers starting XI.