Lafferty will prove his worth - Smith

[pete 2,494]

Walter Smith is backing Kyle Lafferty to make an immediate impression at Rangers - and believes the striker will prove a sound investment.

 

The club bought Lafferty, who cost over �£3million from Burnley, in the belief he will make a sustained impact over several seasons.

 

Smith knows the 20-year-old can continue to develop as a player but will let him prove himself in the early stages of his Rangers career, and the frontman could force his way into the first team for the start of the campaign if he does well in pre-season.

 

Lafferty will face plenty of competition for selection, but the 6ft 4in striker is unlikely to be intimidated by the reputations of his rivals.

 

"Kyle Lafferty is a young lad that I feel has a very good future," Smith told Rangers World.

 

"Hopefully he'll come in and do well in his first season, but at 20 years of age he's got time on his side and he may well be one for the future for us.

 

"We can only look at the present and we hope next season he'll have an influence on our team as well.

 

"He's one player I do think can do exceptionally well."

 

Lafferty was playing in the Championship last season, but he could be involved when Rangers begin their Champions League bid in the qualifying stages.

 

Smith has allowed captain Barry Ferguson and defenders David Weir and Carlos Cuellar added time to recover from their endeavours of last season, when the trio missed barely a handful of games between them.

 

But all three will be back by the time Rangers bid to qualify for Europe's elite competition, from which they earned �£7.7million in TV and sponsorship deals last season.

 

Rangers overcame FK Zeta and Red Star Belgrade in qualifying last year and will have to clear the hurdle again after missing out on an automatic place in the group stages when Celtic pipped them to the Scottish Premier League title.

 

"They're always edgy games and I don't think anyone can take that away," Smith said. "But the experience and the confidence we gained last season, I would hope would stand us in good stead going into these games."

 

If you look at Lafferty's CV it doesn't really read that good but i suppose the fact that Celtic and a few other teams were desperate to get him must show he does have something. It will be interesting to see in the pre-season how good he is.

[Jon 0]

Only read good things about him so far and he's already an internationalist, also still young. Maybe WS has changed a little and may give youth a bit more of a chance......here's hoping.

[Gribz 743]

Should be interesting to see where WS plays him. If Beasley is fit id start him left and Id like to see Velicka and Miller paired upfront or even Velicka and Cousin if he stays.

[Jon 0]

Should be interesting to see where WS plays him. If Beasley is fit id start him left and Id like to see Velicka and Miller paired upfront or even Velicka and Cousin if he stays.

 

Gees, No Boyd, there's a suprise.....even if he will score more than both of your choices put together!

[Gribz 743]

Gees, No Boyd, there's a suprise.....even if he will score more than both of your choices put together!

 

Id rather win the title this year mate

[Jon 0]

How many players in the current squad have been here the past 3 seasons along with Boyd? How many of them do you blame?

[Gribz 743]

I share the blame between David Murray, Martin Bain, Alex McLeish, Paul Le Guen then a number of players who just havent been good enough due to attitude and quality. Boyd is one of them.

 

WS is showing signs of getting better players in (albeit not top class players) and mounting a challenge again. Once the average run of the mill players move out or are squad players we will win the league again. Be honest now - the only 2 average SPL run of the mill players who improved there game in the last few seasons are Alan Hutton (who took improvement to a new level) and Allan McGregor (who is very much on the up). The rest (Burke, Adam, Boyd) are the same players are arent championship winning material.

[Jon 0]

Papac been outstanding for us, as had Thomson. How many people think Hemdani and Buffel deserve a chance? If so and they arent getting it, why arent championship sides in for them?

 

McCulloch...premiership sides in for him, as is the case with Boyd.

 

Your slightly deluded here Im afraid! (an thats not even mentioning Sebo)

[Gribz 743]

By Championship material I meant championship winning material - i.e. capable of being in a team to win us the league - not the English Championship.

 

Papac has been a good player for us last season but he wasnt ever a bad player that I can remember, plus he came from the unknown. Thomson was always "promising" so is in a different catergory to the Adams, Burkes etc who have been at Rangers for a while. Thomson will be marked in the next few years but is certainly on course for improving aswell, but the others have been on stand still for a few years. Adam showed glimpses on loan but hasnt done in consistant.

 

And Im not sure how I can be deluded. If everyone else is just happy for Celtic to go onto 4 in a row then thats deluded IMO.

 

As for Sebo - the wrong message is out on him. All Ive ever said about him was he deserves a chance and his work rate was impressive and he looks like the type of player who could rattle SPL defences. No player can be judged on getting 7 mins here and 14 mins there in matches.

[Jon 0]

If you remember, I was one of the ones that agreed with you about Sebo initially.

 

I agree re the other point about Adam, not Boyd. Sorry!

 

Going over old ground I know, but how can you slag Boyd off so much whilst always being the ONLY one to want Buffel to featuer? What has he done....(nothing) that Boyd has donefar more....errrr help win us two cups last season