Interview: John Fleck

[ian1964 10,416]

The phrase "stop start" doesn't quite do justice to the ups and downs in the nascent career of John Fleck.

 

Having only turned 19 in August, Fleck seems to have been around the scene at Rangers for ages, having made his first-team debut in a pre-season tour at 15, his league debut at 16, and set a record as the youngest ever player in a Scottish Cup final when he came on for the last five minutes of the 2008 win over Queen of the South, aged just 16 years and 274 days.

 

So much was expected of him that Fleck appeared to be overwhelmed by the hype, which included being nominated as Scotland's Wayne Rooney, only for him to suffer a disappointingly long spell off the boil.

 

It must be mentioned that he had some extra-curricular problems that would have been normal teenage activity - a tantrum here, an illicit pub visit there - except for the fact that he lives in the Old Firm goldfish bowl where all such misdemeanors are exaggerated into grand felonies.

 

In retrospect, was that early introduction to the big time a hindrance rather than a help? The lad himself is uncertain.

 

"I thought it was great being involved," said Fleck, "but maybe it was too early. I'm not so sure myself, but I just did my best and got out of it what I got out of it. I just tried to let (all the hype] go past me, but obviously there was a bit of pressure on my shoulders with everybody expecting me to do probably a lot more than I did. But I just tried to get on with it myself and do the best that I could."

 

Season 2010-11 was supposed to see Fleck put all that behind him and make the impact which his undoubted talents demand, only for the player to injure a hamstring during a pre-season friendly with Clyde. He made his belated return for 45 minutes against Inverness last week and looked fit again.

 

Fleck explained: "It was just a wee tear of my hamstring at the start, but I did it another twice when I came back into training. It was obviously very disappointing because I just wanted to get back as quickly as I could. Maybe that was the wrong thing to do.

 

"After the last time I did it I had a few weeks off, and that's me back fine to full fitness now."

 

He is trying to break into a team that is unbeaten in the league as Rangers prepare to face St Mirren today in the final match of the opening third of the season, and as such he is realistic enough to know an early return is no gimme.

 

"The team's been doing well, so you can't expect to go straight back in," said Fleck.

 

"You just have to take your chance when it comes.

 

"Everybody's fighting for their places just now, you can't complain because they can't get left out with how well they've been doing."

 

That includes the Champions League matches he sorely misse I felt bad for myself, but the boys did great, which is the main thing that matters here. It's not more important than any other season to me, but the more games I get the better it's going to be for me."

 

His manager Walter Smith has mentioned the possibility of a midfield role for the youngster.

 

Fleck said: "I like playing behind the strikers, but I'd play anywhere really to try to get a shot.

 

"I've played centre-mid, on the left and just off the strikers. I feel comfortable in any of the positions. Wherever I'm put in, I'll just do my best. I'm an attacking player, but I have been working on defending. When you've not got the ball, you've got to get back for the rest of the boys and not let them down."

 

Many Rangers fans thought that Fleck being handed the No.10 jersey for the season after signing a three-year deal was a sure sign that he would be a regular first choice player, but it has not worked out that way.

 

"There's a lot of people keep saying that to me, how did I get the No.10 jersey, but it doesn't bother me. I could wear No.50, it's not a problem to me. If anybody else wants the number, they can take it.

 

"It was Nacho Novo, he said to (kit man] Jimmy Bell to give it to me. Obviously I was happy, but any number is good to me."

 

Fleck will be in the squad for today's match at St Mirren Park, and Smith is delighted that the player's career could soon be back on track: "He started the season really well in Australia, but the injury has gone on for two months. I hope this season he will get more playing time and have more influence on games. His attitude has always been good and there is more of a realisation in him now about what he has to do to make the step up from youth football."

 

The prospect of a fit John Fleck back to his best would have the fans drooling at Ibrox, but this time around, everyone concerned about his future for Rangers and Scotland should perhaps resist hyperbolic urges. "Give the boy time" is the message.

 

 

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport/Interview-John-Fleck-Rangers-player.6615898.jp?articlepage=2

[Totti 0]

He has age on his side but 19/20 is the age a talented player should really be 'making it' and starting to become a regular. We don't want him to end up being 21 and still barely featuring, his career will dwindle away. Ideally a season or 2 on loan in the English lower leagues might be an idea, as we should do with any decent youngsters who aren't going to become regulars just yet. Surely plenty championship clubs would be interested. I wouldn't ever really loan players to shite Scottish clubs because I think it's a complete waste of time and unlikely to result in any development.

 

We have too many youngsters who hang around until about 21/22 and then disappear for free, it's a waste of time. Paul Emslie was at the club a long time and only featured in one cup match. I know him personally and knew he was very unlikely to be good enough,

Edited November 7, 2010 by Totti