U20s LIVE: Rangers 4 - 0 Dumbarton (Roberts 32' Stoney 56' Ramsay 70' Dykes 83')

[craig 5,195]

Wonder why they have this "trialist" rubbish up for friendlies etc.. If anything they can give the name and put trialist in brackets behind that or vice versa.

 

Perhaps because they don't want other teams knowing who is playing in these games as trial it's in case other teams try to nick them ?

[pete 2,494]

Perhaps because they don't want other teams knowing who is playing in these games as trial it's in case other teams try to nick them ?

 

It is because they are unpaid.

[Zappa 0]

Monday, 13 July 2015 17:30

Mulholland Happy With 20s Start

Written by Nick Thomson

 

 

HEAD of Rangers’ Academy Craig Mulholland was thrilled with how the under-20s side performed in their first pre-season match against Dumbarton on Saturday.

 

With a number of players making their first appearances since making the transition from under-17s to under-20s and also a new formation being deployed for the first time, the young Light Blues ran-out 4-0 winners.

 

But while the scoreline was impressive and could perhaps have been even more, Mulholland is insisting that performances will be put ahead of the margin of victory at all times.

 

Speaking to RangersTV.tv, he explained: “I’ve always said throughout the academy that the results are not important to us, it’s about the way we play, the way the players conduct themselves and how they learn on a daily basis.

 

“We were delighted with the performance. They really worked hard at the style of play and playing with an intensity and a tempo, which is going to be important.

 

“We sat with them today to do the video analysis of the game and then we were out on the pitch to review it.

 

“But on a daily basis it is all about getting the structure around these boys right and creating a performance environment that is going to make them better.

 

“That will include the video analysis, the work on the pitch and the one-on-one discussions we’re starting to do with them.

 

“All of these things are really important.”

 

The under-20s have enjoyed a thorough pre-season programme so far, and they will play their second match tomorrow evening against Tynecastle at Murray Park.

 

And Mulholland has been left more than satisfied with how their preparations are coming along.

 

He continued: “It’s been good, and it’s always good when you start playing games.

 

“I think every club across the country thinks their pre-season has gone well, but once they start playing games it all changes!

 

“But for us, it realy has gone well, and I think the principles of pre-season that we have tried to bed down are that there is a real physical component, and we’ve really looked at the tactical component as well.

 

“You hope that by the time you come out of that first two or three weeks of training that the boys have a good understanding of what they need to do technically, tactically and physically, and if we can train all those bits together then we will have achieved our objective.

 

“The first game at the weekend went well, so we’ll continue to build it up.”

 

17 year-old Ross McCrorie has been selected to captain the under-20s side this season, but while he is the lucky one to have been handed the armband, Mulholland is looking for every young player to show some authority and influence.

 

“We’re looking for all the players in the academy to have some form of leadership about them, and we absolutely won’t put up with energy sappers in the group,” Mulholland insisted.

 

“Ross probably epitomises the opposite. He’s a real energiser – he’s first in the gym every day and around the group he is really positive.

 

“We’re trying to create a culture where players are not afraid to come and take the ball, so if someone makes a mistake, they don’t have someone screaming and bawling at them whether that be a coach or a captain, and Ross is excellent amongst the group.

 

“We have high hopes for Ross, and he demonstrates the qualities we want from a young Rangers player.”

 

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/9604-mulholland-happy-with-20s-start

[chilledbear 16]

MAJOR changes are currently being implemented at Rangers, and while a lot of focus has been on the differences at first team level, the entire youth setup is also in the process of being overhauled.

 

From first-team to under-8 level, every Rangers team will now play a single formation with an emphasis on positive play at all times.

Young midfielder Max Ashmore has recently made the transition from under-17 to under-20 level at the club, and he has certainly noticed the alterations being made across the board.

He explained: “The changes that have been made this pre-season mean there is a whole new culture to the academy now.

“It’s a lot more positive and it’s a lot more disciplined. We’re trying to create an atmosphere that gets any energy sappers away from the club and gets everyone else who wants to do well for the club in.

“That’s linked to the way we are trying to play football now with our 4-3-3 formation and looking to dominate the ball.”

And the new tactical system is something Ashmore believes will suit him down to a tee.

“I like playing deeper in the midfield, although I can play anywhere across the middle of the park,” he said. “I think it’s a really key role, and the manager likes it to be like an old-style number four.

“It’s like being the anchor of the team and being able to get on the ball to push other people forward. It’s somewhere I certainly enjoy playing.”

The first deployment of the new for the under-20s side came on Saturday in their 4-0 triumph over Dumbarton at Auchenhowie.

It was an impressive showing from Ian Durrant’s fledgling stars, although the margin of victory could, and probably should have been greater, and Ashmore certainly agrees with that assessment.

He continued: “We brought in a lot of the things we are trying to implement at the club.

“We had a lot of the ball in the game, and we probably could have had a few more goals although 4-0 was probably still a good scoreline.

“The coaches were proud of us for what we did though.”

First-team manager Mark Warburton has already made his clear his belief in the youth setup and his admiration of the work Head of Academy Craig Mulholland is doing.

And to that end, Ashmore and the rest of the under 20s squad will be keen to impress the former Brentford boss.

Ashmore added: “I want to make my mark in the under-20s, and the manager will hopefully be at some of the 20s games, so we’ll need to see what happens after that.

“He seems to have a lot of belief in youth, and he has said if we’re good enough then we will be played, so it’s now just a case of trying to impress him in training and in games and then hopefully if I’m given the chance then I can take it.”

 

http://rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/9606-change-is-afoot-at-murray-park

[forlanssister 3,050]

“It’s a lot more positive and it’s a lot more disciplined. We’re trying to create an atmosphere that gets any energy sappers away from the club and gets everyone else who wants to do well for the club in.

 

Doing what they're supposed to do, how novel!

[chilledbear 16]

Doing what they're supposed to do, how novel!

 

Not even modern thinking, just simple basics.

[Rousseau 9,312]

No need for the cynicism, but you're right. It's how it should be. The possession philosophy and 4-3-3 throughout every level is modern, and about time too. Very encouraging.

[craig 5,195]

Coincidence that this has happened after Sinclair left ? Or is this just Warburton putting his personal stamp on it ? I would be inclined to think that Mulholland would have been going this route anyway as he is a progressive thinker.

[elfideldo 406]

With the positive message coming from the youth department it looks like we could be emerging from the dark days of Sinky, although it won't happen over night.

 

I am looking forward to watching all age groups in the season ahead.

 

I would now expect that the suitability of the coaches to this new philosophy be looked at.

 

The record of youth scouts in player recruitment also needs be examined and those that don't bring players of the required standard removed.

 

Maybe sometime soon the Junior Academy will stop losing players to Celtic.