Garry Hay: Rangers are ideal for my pal Harry Forrester

[ian1964 10,457]

GARRY HAY believes Harry Forrester has finally found his perfect club in Rangers.

 

Kilmarnock legend Hay played alongside the English forward when the then Aston Villa teenager had a loan spell at Rugby Park in 2010.

 

Forrester only made eight appearances during his six-month stint in Ayrshire under Mixu Paatelainen.

 

 

But Hay saw enough to predict the talented kid would have a successful career — if he found the right club.

 

After a few years in the English lower leagues, Hay believes he has now done that.

 

With Forrester on the verge of signing a long-term deal at Ibrox, Hay told SunSport: “Harry is a gifted attacking player who doesn’t really suit playing in a system that forces him to defend all the time.

 

“He did well for us at Killie but the Rangers formation and style of play suits him down to the ground.

 

“It’s a 4-3-3 and Harry is playing as one of the front three. There isn’t as much onus on him to defend and that is ideal for him.

 

“Mark Warburton likes his forward players to express themselves and be creative and Harry is perfect for that role.

 

“I’ve seen a few of his games since he came up from Doncaster and he is looking the part and scoring goals. I’m not surprised Rangers are going to give him a long-term deal because he has a lot to offer.

 

“Warburton worked with Harry before at Brentford and he knows exactly how to get the best out of him. Getting him tied down would be a good bit of business.”

 

Forrester didn’t make a major impact at Killie but Hay insists that was more down to the form of the senior pros ahead of him.

 

And he believes the fact Dutch giants Ajax wanted him when he left Aston Villa proves what kind of quality he possesses.

 

Hay said: “I remember talking to Harry and he did have a few options when he was about to leave Villa.

 

“Ajax was one of them but I don’t think he wanted to go to a club where he would be playing reserve-team football.

 

“He came through the academy system in England and you could understand why he was just so desperate to go and play football. Harry was young when he came up to Killie. He was still a teenager and it was hard for him to break into the side as we were doing well, but he clearly had something about him.

 

“There was a confidence to Harry’s play. He made an impact every time he came on.

 

“He had something about him, he was always liable to create and he had a great shot.

 

“He was a good kid. He was just desperate to play games and he had reached the point at Villa where he didn’t want to be playing reserves.

 

“I followed his career after he left Killie and he did well at Brentford for a couple of seasons before joining Doncaster.

 

“He had a really tough time through injury there but he has now taken his chance to rebuild his career at Rangers.

 

“Harry signed a short-term deal but he’s made the most of it and is now playing some really good stuff.

 

“At 25, he has his best years ahead of him and I don’t think he’d have any problem adapting to the Premiership next season.

 

“He’s had a good grounding in the game, has picked up a lot of experience and I think he’ll just want to settle down at a club now.

 

“Rangers can offer him a lot and there’s no doubt in my mind he can be a big player for them.”

 

Rangers could clinch promotion as early as this weekend if they beat Raith Rovers and Hibs slip up against St Mirren.

 

Hay, now working for the SFA, is praying his old club Killie will also be in the Premiership next season as they battle at the bottom.

 

He said: “I was at the last game against Celtic and Kilmarnock were really unlucky not to take something from it.

 

“They put so much into the game and it was a wonder goal from Tom Rogic that won the match for Celtic.

 

“But Killie’s future won’t be determined by that match. The games against the teams near the bottom are more important.

 

“Lee Clark has made an impact since coming in. I think performance levels have improved and hopefully they do enough to stay up.”

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/rangers/7033301/Garry-Hay-Rangers-are-ideal-for-my-pal-Harry-Forrester.html

[der Berliner 3,290]

MW sounded like it's essentially a done deal (unless some sneaky EPL or English Championship team grabs the player's ear).

 

“He’s a goalscorer, he wants the ball at his feet, he likes to entertain and he will be a very good acquisition for Rangers.”

 

http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/net-gain-gers-duo/

[Scott7 5,251]

"Kilmarnock legend Hay"? I suppose I must have heard of him but I've surely forgotten.

 

Now, Frank Beattie, Jim Richmond, Willie Toner ........