Ross McCausland’s sensational MOTM award for his international debut is giving further fuel to the rising hopes Rangers fans have in this boy, amid the 20-year-old’s burgeoning stock in the game.
While this isn’t a 16-year-old who’s setting Ibrox alight, it is, instead, a man, and not a boy, who is taking his chance with aplomb and doing something with the opportunity.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill saw how well he did at Livi (dive aside) and when he received a withdrawal, he had no hesitation promoting McCausland from the U21s to the seniors.
And while the side was absolutely gubbed on the night, and it was an unremarkable performance by the Red Hand, McCausland stood out not for having an absolutely sensational match, but for looking completely comfortable at that level as if he’d played there for years.
Just like he has at Rangers.
Now, we reaffirm – this is not Nathan Patterson where an 18-year-old was trying to eke his way into the first team, this is a 20-year-old who is now becoming a man and should be at an age where he is breaking through strongly.
And he absolutely is.
We still urge caution – putting too many hopes on a younger shoulder isn’t ideal, but equally, this is Rangers he’s playing for, and if youth coming through at this club isn’t aware of the pressure, they’re at the wrong club.
McCausland is having a good time of it right now, and he’s under the perfect manager in Philippe Clement to get the best from him. And now Rangers have a new international player who may just have made himself a fixture for his country.
Long may it continue..