TALKING RANGERS
JIM BETT today backed defensive midfielder Ryan Jack to provide a solution to a long-standing problem position for Rangers next season if he clinches a move to the Ibrox club during the summer.
Jack was unable to help Aberdeen beat Celtic in a nailbiting William Hill Scottish Cup Final at Hampden on Saturday in what looks certain to be his final game for the Pittodrie club.
But the 25-year-old gave another glimpse of what the Gers will be getting if they succeed in securing his services with an outstanding display in the middle of the park alongside Kenny McLean and Graeme Shinnie.
The Glasgow club often struggled in the Ladbrokes Premiership in the 2016/17 campaign due to the absence of a natural ball-winning player in front of their defence.
Joey Barton, Andy Halliday, Jason Holt, Emerson Hyndman, Jon Toral were all deployed there by Mark Warburton, Graeme Murty and current boss Ibrox Pedro Caixinha with varying degrees of success.
However, Jack, who was dubbed “the new Jim Bett” when he first broke through at his home town club seven years ago, would fill that void if he can agree terms with Rangers.
He was stripped of the Aberdeen captaincy last week amid mounting speculation that he is set to join their bitter rivals – and his name was booed by his own fans when it was read out before kick-off at the weekend.
Caixinha has admitted he is an admirer of the Scot, who is available for free, and has had him scouted since arriving in this country back in March.
Former Scotland midfielder Bett knows what it takes to succeed at Rangers having won the League Cup and the Scottish Cup and forced his way into the national team during a three-year spell in Govan back in the 1980s.
And he has no doubts that former Scotland Under-21 internationalist Jack can excel if he does end up at Ibrox in the coming weeks.
“I stay over in Iceland now, but I get back to Scotland regularly and have seen a lot of Ryan over the years,” he said. “He is the man who does the link-up play between the defence and the strikers. It is a role he performs very well.
“He is playing well at the minute and has finished another good season on a high by helping Aberdeen finish second and reach two cup finals.
“There has been a lot of talk about him joining Rangers and I can understand why given how influential he has been for Aberdeen in recent months.
“If he was to leave it would be a setback for Aberdeen because Derek McInnes had made him his captain. He would be a loss as a leader and as a player as well.
“Whether he goes to Rangers or not remains to be seen, but if that was to happen then I would expect him to do well.”
Bett added: “It is not an easy thing to go to a club like Rangers and succeed because of the size of the club and the expectations of the supporters at Ibrox.
“But he has been playing regularly for Aberdeen for several seasons and has also been their captain. I am sure he would cope with the demands there would be on him and feature in the side.
“There is a suggestion that Ryan was a supporter when he was younger and sometimes if a player has history with a club it can make a difference to his decision.
“I know Derek would like to keep him, but it can be difficult for a club like Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs to keep their best players – especially when a club like Rangers is looking at them.
“Derek has a difficult job and he has done well to bring in so many good players in key positions, but it is very difficult to hold onto these guys when bigger clubs come calling.
“I have heard Ryan has been called ‘the new Jim Bett’. I don’t know about that, but I do know that he is a fine player who has a bright future ahead