HATELEY BACKS NATHAN TO BE SCOTLAND’S OWEN SUPERKID

RANGERS legend Mark Hateley insists Michael Owen’s stunning breakthrough at France 98 is an example of why Scotland need to take Nathan Patterson to the Euros.

Hateley believes the Rangers rightback is good enough to earn a debut call-up for this summer’s finals.

And the ex-Ibrox striker used

Owen’s scoring exploits for England at the World Cup in 1998 to make the case why 18-year-old Patterson should be capped on the big stage.

Hateley said: “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough. You take him with you.

“Owen, how old was he when he went to a World Cup? It was a similar sort of thing. I would take him, I know what sort of boy he is. He sees the game very well.

“You just look at Patterson’s games in Europe, he has been sensational with what he delivers, what he covers, how he defends and what he gives going forward.

“He’s got a fantastic group of players that he’s playing amongst which is bringing him on even more. And a manager who knows every sort of pitfall you can make as a player and he’s got him to talk to as well.”

Patterson is facing a six-game ban as one of the Covid Five rule-breakers at Ibrox but has made 11 appearances this season and has benefited from

Rangers captain James Tavernier’s recent injury by playing in matches against Slavia Prague and Celtic.

Hateley added: “I’ve seen Nathan as a young boy in the Alkass Cup, playing against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. He was a star against the big clubs. He was head and shoulders [above them].”