Joe Worrall is cutting his teeth in the cut and thrust of the Premier League at present but he has revealed his gratitude for his time at Ibrox from a personal and professional perspective.
The England U21 international believes his time north of the border has aided the development of his game as well as enabling him to grow as a person beyond the confines of his Nottingham home that he is so comfortable with.
It was back in Steven Gerrard’s first season that the Nottingham Forest captain was signed on loan in Glasgow, where he spent the full season including some Europa League exposure.
Worrall told BT Sport’s Big Interview:
“The Rangers one, with being sent up there is something that I’m so, so thankful for. I loved my time up there, it’s an unbelievable football club, the size of it.”
“Steven Gerrard being the manager was a massive pull – I thought it was a prank call, but it was actually him.
“He’s my hero, whether he knows it…he probably will now.”
Benefit
Having made 32 appearances, including four in Europe, the player and Forest gained from Worrall’s time at Ibrox in what is the type of development loan that can frustrate Rangers fans.
As the case was then, a 21-year old with potential and emerging quality will do a job but it usually comes with inconsistency in form and some mistakes…as infamously happened at Rugby Park.
At a club like Rangers, this comes at the cost of our own youth players or others who would be more of a permanent answer. The caveat for this one is that back in 2018, Gerrard had inherited a threadbare squad making signings like this a requirement.
Joe Worrall is a Premier League captain this season under Steve Cooper at the City Ground with Rangers responsible for a small part of his rise.