As we have discussed in previous entries, Danny Rohl definitely has a habit of axing players he does not fancy. While Ibrox Noise defended the axing of Finlay Curtis because the youngster had not really shown any major reason to be in the first team, other fans disagreed.
Fan debate and loan impact
Other fans disagreed that Findlay Curtis was not good enough to play for Rangers. There is a romanticism about Rangers youth. Curtis’s performances were not poor and did show more promise than Kai Kennedy and Adam Devine before him. But Danny Rohl was not interested, using him only as a bit part player. His sparkling performances at Kilmarnock on loan have earned him a call up to the national team. Finlay Curtis is likely to get a cap for Scotland, maybe more if his form continues. He has not been Messi at Kilmarnock. However, he has impressed enough to show Danny Rohl may have made an error. He has certainly been more impressive than Thelo Aasgaard, for example, albeit Aasgaard has lost his place as well.
Pressure and context
Nevertheless, Findlay Curtis is starting to look like he might be something. Of course, there is a big caveat here. The weight of the Kilmarnock shirt is far lighter than that of the Rangers shirt. The pressure of Govan is far greater than that of Rugby Park. But Kilmarnock are in a relegation battle. That in itself brings serious pressure. It is a different kind of challenge, but still a big one.
Future decision and conclusion
Consequently, what do we do with Curtis? Does Rohl admit he was wrong and bring him back in the summer? The reality is that very few Rangers players return from loan to become first team mainstays. Allan McGregor is the standout example of a Rangers player who went on loan and returned to become an icon. There have been one or two others, but not many in recent times. Curtis would have to buck that trend. He would need to shine enough at his loan club to force a rethink.
Loans
That is the purpose of a loan move. It signals the manager does not see the player as part of current plans. A loan also protects the player’s development. It allows them to gain minutes and improve. But it also shows the manager’s current stance clearly. Could Finlay Curtis be a case where the manager admits he was wrong? Could Curtis still have a Rangers future? Time will tell. Ibrox Noise, in fairness, sided with Rohl on this one. We do not rate much of the youth from Auchenhowie. However, we can recognise when a player performs well on loan. This lad is clearly shining right now. If he earns a Scotland cap, which looks possible, it could force a rethink. Danny Rohl may have to revisit the Findlay Curtis situation at Ibrox.