How Barrie McKay is proving them all wrong

21
How Barrie McKay is proving them all wrong

July 2012. Brechin City
and their hedge. Life in the Third Division began with that infamous trip to Glebe Park
in the Ramsden’s Cup, and Rangers had lost just about the entire first-team
playing squad.
Carlos Bocanegra led the team out
with the likes of Kirk Broadfoot and Dorin Goian professionally continuing on
while awaiting a move away to a better standard of football. They did their
parts, by not abandoning the Club immediately, but naturally there was a
massive reliance on youth in that match, with the likes of Hutton, Macleod and
Naismith (Kal) all featuring.
But one player stood out – a fresh-faced
17-year old by the name of Barrie McKay.

With senior players like
McCulloch and Ian Black around him, the teenager, on his professional debut,
completely stole the show, with composure beyond his years, trickery, pace and
some deft flicks.
Indeed, at that moment he looked
like being the star of Division 3, and Rangers had a new fulcrum to pin hopes
of a recovery on.
Only, ‘manager’ Ally McCoist did
not see it that way. Around September and October McKay found himself
increasingly used as a sub, till 2013 when he faded almost completely out of
the picture despite impressing. By the end of that year he found himself at
Cappielow on loan, as it became clear ‘manager’ McCoist was simply not
interested in him.
In short, McKay spent 2013 on the
bench, and 2014 and half of 2015 on loan as he waited, waited, and waited some
more to finally be given a proper chance, a chance he felt he deserved.
McDowall was not interested in
giving him that chance, until Mark Warburton took over as manager no one in
charge at Ibrox seemed willing.
That is now three matches in a
row McKay has started – and while no one would claim he is Messi, it is not inaccurate
to say he has hugely impressed. He has provided two assists, and caused nothing
but trouble down the right hand side, and occasionally left.
Friday’s display was especially
productive – it is a mature and intelligent McKay we now see, one desperate to
take the chance Warburton has given him while not forcing it and ball-hogging.
Indeed, McKay has measured his input just right. He still produces the fine
passes, deft flicks and raw dribbles, but there is more thought than there once
was – he produces end product, while interchanging extremely well with the-now
mobile midfield.
He has adapted his game to what
Warbs commands of him, and frankly he is doing so impeccably. It is David Templeton
and Tom Walsh who are fighting it out for that slot on the left, such is the
cementing of the right flank that McKay is managing. His new manager even cited
mass praise for the Murray
Park graduate:
“In Barrie
I see a player who is clever with the football. He needed a little bit of
confidence. He’s had a chat with David Weir and myself, our job is to give him
a better environment. He trained really well from our first day here. It’s not
about age – I don’t care if you are 18 or 38, if you are right for the team. Barrie has done
everything to suggest he should be in the starting eleven.”
36 months McKay has truly had to
wait for this, and he has patiently done so. Never moaning to the press, never
saying a bad word. He just got on with the loans, the waiting, and now,
finally, it is his time to shine.
And shine he is.

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21 COMMENTS

  1. I could never understand how mccoist thought that Aird should have been in the team before mckay, barrie is afar better player and I really hope he becomes a firm favourite in the eyes of our fans. The lad is doing everything to show he deserves it.

  2. We all seen his talent then we all seen a likeness to the king of the wing mr cooper and with the help of big no surrender and the gaffer the lad will only get better as a support we always take to players who always plays for that famous blue jersey and the kid does that in spades wrtp

    • Yes, he has played well in 3 games ……but to compare him to Cooper ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you are having a laugh!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. According to the 'Laptop Loyal' BM was too small, had a bad attitude & would 'never make it'. So happy Mr.'s Warburton & Weir saw fit to give the lad a fair chance. Always entertaining, BM's flair is an obvious fit for the new, fast flowing style coming out of Auchenhowie. There are a few other pleasant surprises appearing on that level playing field too. Thankfully the new managements attitude has parted the clouds and allowed the sun to come out all over the pitch. Happy days are here again, long may they continue ….

  4. When compared to Aird and Temps he is far above both and glad W/W are giving him the chance he deserves long may he be with us

  5. I totally reiterate that barrie mckay is streets ahead of fraser aird,mckay has all the skill in the world coupled with terrific pace and cleverly plays in small pockets of space as his control of a football is spot on,he also lifts his head when he's playing a pass something that young aird doesn't do as he constantly runs with his head down without looking up to deliver his final ball

  6. When 17 year old Barry McKay got his chance with Ally McCoist's team, I thought he took it. Everybody I spoke to thought he was definitely one of the best players we had, until the far from super Ally the manager dropped him and eventually put him out on loan. What a difference a decent manager / coach makes to a player. He always had the talent, he just needed an understanding man like MW to realise what was required from him to keep his place in the team. Could it be that high balls to the forwards was the reason Barry wasn't as effective in McCoist's team plans. The confidence instilled in him by the new management team paid dividends on Friday night with young Barry's commitment, stamina and enthusiasm shining throughout the match. What a joy to watch the team performing so well and exactly what the Rangers supporters who turned up in their thousands to make it a sell out, want to see on a regular basis.

  7. Rangers have had outstanding youth wasted over the years. McKay was going to be another one. I honestly don't have enough time or space on this screen to name all the players!!

    At last we have a man in charge that trusts a youth system… although a bit worried about the future of wee Murdoch as he looked the part last season.

    • If W & W don't want to use Andy Murdoch at this moment in time, then that is good enough for me, as I really trust the pair of their judgements. I think they know a player when they see him.

  8. Loaning him out probably done him a lot of good rather than harm. I think a good move for a lot of young players and most big clubs do it. But you can't help but have a dig at McCoist even when it seems to have been good for the player

  9. Always knew McKay was a player,,I know hind sight is priceless, but can you imagine the team we would have had if Warbuton and Weir came to ibrox 3 years ago?!!,, Warbs theory on if your good enough, you will play, regardless what age, is spot on,,,,this is what all the other teams in the world have been doing for decades,,, welcome to the modern day football my fellow blue bears,,, that manky mob might as well enjoy their last easy ride in the premiership,, cause next season, they'll be back where they belong,,second to the gers,,!!!

    • If warburton had have been here 3 years ago he would've run all the way back to England rather than have put up with all the crap that was happening during those years

    • Run all the way back to England?,, put up with all the crap? Are you for real?!,,, For over £800,000 per year, plus penny shares, plus win bonuses, plus what other backhanders the corrupt board had to offer,,,, I dont think warbuton would walk away!!! Warbuton is a business man as well as a coach,, at least he would have produced a winning team without wasting thousands upon thousands a week like McCoist did,, The truth will out eventually, I certainly wouldnt miss McCoist in the street,,I'd tell him exactly what i thought of him,,Never a Rangers man,,he is a parasite!!!,

  10. It does make u wonder what happened under McCoist/McDowell it seemed they just didnt want to give the kids a chance.
    There will probably some feeble excuse from tese 2 in the future,no doubt when the book comes out
    But TBH thye should both hanf there heads in shame, They took the easy way by signing there mates like Boyd Black etc & quite frankly they showed themselves up to be numptys.
    I wish this kid all the best he is a genuine nugget & i hope he gets loads of games under MW

  11. The impostor wouldn't have recognised a player if he tripped over one.

    Now that Green is about to be exposed for what he and his cronies took out of the club, and are still taking via the onerous contracts, why did Green give McCoist the penny shares? What exactly did he do to earn his freebies?

    Given he's still drawing down £70 thousand a month till December I'm surprised that he's not gifted his shares to one of the fan groups to try and win back favour.

  12. hi last season I used to say where is young i Mckay reply out on lone thats when I said to my self Does MR Mcoist no a good player with a good talent like McKay well I dont think so PS Graham Sounness YOU DONT BECOME A RANGER SUPPORTER YOU ARE BORN A RANGER SUPPORTER I HOPE 50 THOUSAND SUPPORTERS TAKE THIS ON BOARD HAVE A NICE DAY MARKO

    • Hi Marko, In the 60's we had Jimmy Miller, John Greig & Sandy Jardine to name just a few who were from Edinburgh and they were not brought up as Rangers supporters, but when Rangers capture your HEART – they keep it forever. Graeme Souness, Richard Gough and HUNDREDS of EX PLAYERS all became the same and they LOVE RANGERS TO THIS DAY.

  13. sorry McKay has been good from the start but was not in mccoist good books from the start ,maybe the boy had a attitude problem who knows , but the boy has so much talent he deserves the chance .

  14. Like it seem several of the above poster I too was told by 'someone in the know' that Barrie had a bad attitude. My reply to that then was that he was 17 and maybe it was bad man management that was the problem.

    Remember when Souness arrived he went on about needing good professionals to set an example and one of the people who he was clear did not fit that bill was the young Ally McCoist.

    I may well become the case that a so called bad attitude during the last 3 years will become a badge of honour!

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