Kyle McAusland - Hoping To Start

[chilledbear 16]

ITâ??S a manâ??s game, even if youâ??re no more than a boy.

 

Rangersâ?? Kyle McAusland was sent on loan to Ayr United last season to absorb that lesson and his appearances in all of the clubâ??s pre-season friendlies suggest heâ??s a quick learner.

 

Now the 20-year-old is hoping heâ??s convinced Ally McCoist of his worth sufficiently well to force his way into the side when the competitive season starts for Rangers next weekend with the Ramsdens Cup tie against Albion Rovers.

 

The manager raved about McAuslandâ??s performance in midfield against Dutch Second Division side Emmen on Saturday.

 

And now the emerging prospect who was once a Rangers season ticket-holder is hoping heâ??s the next Murray Park kid to grow up in a short space of time when needs must.

 

Kyle said: â??Itâ??s been a really good pre-season for me on a personal level.

 

â??Itâ??s the first one Iâ??ve spent with the first team and Iâ??ve played a part in all five games so far.

 

â??Hopefully, that will stand me in good stead for the immediate future.â?

 

It was the recent past that gave McAusland a future at Rangers and heâ??s grateful for the help Somerset Park provided.

 

He said: â??Last season did me the world of good. I know that and hopefully the management team know it as well.

 

â??Getting first-team experience at Ayr United was great. Itâ??s obviously a lot better than playing youth games.

 

â??At some stage you have to grow up and man up. Thatâ??s how you acquire experience.

 

â??Iâ??m now going back into an experienced dressing room with international players who have previously won trophies in their careers. Itâ??s great to have players like that around me at Rangers because it brings on your game.â?

 

McAuslandâ??s period in further education was assisted by Ayr boss Mark Roberts who ironically had his first claim to fame as a kid when he scored a winning goal against Rangers at Ibrox for Kilmarnock.

 

Kyle said: â??The manager and a few of the older boys there were a big help to me. I was learning from guys like Austin McCann who had played in the SPL for a number of years.

 

â??I appreciated Mark giving me that chance because I feel as if I havenâ??t looked back since.

 

â??The Second Division, where Rangers will play this season, is a tough league. Itâ??s a lot quicker and more physical than youth games.

 

â??Youâ??re getting thrown in at the deep end and itâ??s up to you whether you sink or swim.â?

 

Kyle clearly feels heâ??s in no danger of drowning any time soon because he has the confidence to turn friendly appearances into competitive experiences.

 

The youngster said: â??I feel ready to play for Rangersâ?? first team. If I get my chance when the season starts then Iâ??d obviously be looking to take it.

 

â??Would I be disappointed if that didnâ??t happen? Well, Iâ??m still young and we have a lot of players competing for places in the middle of the park.

 

â??Realistically, it will be a case of me being happy to get a chance rather than feeling disappointed if it doesnâ??t come along.â?

 

Rangersâ?? game against Albion Rovers next weekend will be shown live on television, the small screen having been the source of a big embarrassment for McAusland in his teenage days.

 

He said: â?? I was playing for Scotland in the Victory Shield and our game against Wales was shown on Sky whose cameras captured me missing a sitter from about three yards out.

 

â??Hopefully, if I get a chance to play next Sunday Iâ??ll do a lot better.

 

â??I was only 15 then and the whole occasion was really good. You could think it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be playing a match that was live on TV.â?

 

Kyleâ??s innocence over the thrill of being on the telly betrays his youthfulness but why not when heâ??s defining the cliche by living the dream at Rangers?

 

He said: â??If dreams come true then thatâ??s exactly whatâ??s happening to me. I grew up a massive Rangers fan and to make my debut in pre-season was amazing. Hopefully there will be a lot more to come in the future.â?

 

When Kyle remembers Saturdayâ??s match it will come back to him that Lee McCulloch came on as a sub, lasted 10 minutes and was then invited by the referee to leave the pitch rather than be sent off as the victim of a red card.

 

Rangersâ?? captain was adjudged to have elbowed an opponent. The match official had declared an amnesty on dismissals, having forgiven the Emmen keeper a red-card offence as well.

 

Jon Daly, scorer of his first Rangers goal and the only goal of the game and replaced afterwards, had to come back on for the remainder of the match just when he was starting to get his breath back.

 

But the nonsense is over and the real thing starts for Rangers next weekend.

 

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