A Different Level

[Rangers Football Club 0]

LUCA GASPAROTTO is staying fully focused on Sundayâ??s SFA Youth Cup tie despite harbouring ambitions to follow in the footsteps of Barrie McKay and Lewis Macleod.

 

 

The 17-year-old Canadian has been impressive in pre-season friendlies for the Light Blues and having played in the same youth side as McKay and Macleod the centre back is hoping to continue his progress too.

 

But after missing a chunk of last season with a wrist injury he is simply focussing on a first competitive outing this season, against St Johnstone on Sunday.

 

He said: â??Right now Iâ??m just focussing on Sundayâ??s game and on getting the win. It would be nice to get in to the first team someday but Iâ??ll just keep working hard and going strong.

 

â??Things this year have been going well. Iâ??ve been round training with the first team a couple of times and played 40 minutes in a bounce game last week.

 

â??Thatâ??s been a dream come true for me, just to be able to train with them is a step forward and Iâ??m hoping to keep going.

 

â??Itâ??s a whole new level and just being there training makes you a better player. Itâ??s so much quicker and you have to adapt to a different level.

 

â??All the guys round there have been so helpful and I look up to them all as role models and thatâ??s nice to have around to learn from.

 

â??Itâ??s wonderful seeing how far Barrie and Lewis have come and how much they have progressed and Iâ??m so happy that Iâ??ve played alongside them.

 

â??Seeing them in the first team where they are doing extremely well helps all the young boys to see what we can do and keeps us going and gives us a target.â?

 

Impressing this Sunday at Ibrox would be another step for the young defender, and he canâ??t wait for that chance.

 

He added: â??Itâ??s wonderful playing at Ibrox. Iâ??ve played there once before last year in the cup so Iâ??m looking forward to it and Iâ??m sure all the lads are.

 

â??Last year I was out for three months with a wrist injury so itâ??s been great getting back and I think Iâ??ve played around five games in the last two weeks.

 

â??Itâ??s been great being back on the pitch and playing football again.

 

â??The fans have been unbelievable, sending messages on Twitter and thatâ??s been wonderful to see and it makes me want to play even harder to give them something to talk about.

 

â??I want to be able to show them what I can do and I think all the young players do that, we want to play for the fans as well as the club.â?