Wes is up for the fight at Rangers as he battles with Greegsy for Ibrox gloves
RANGERS
THE challenge is as unfamiliar as the view of the action for Wes Foderingham. If his perspective is to change, his standards can’t alter.
Signed from Swindon Town in Mark Warburton’s first campaign at Ibrox, the keeper established himself as number one within weeks. For months, for years, his position was rarely threatened as he retained the jersey and the faith of Warburton, then Pedro Caixinha and Graeme Murty.
The arrival of Steven Gerrard, and that of Allan McGregor, has switched Foderingham’s circumstances, however. Come matchday, he finds himself on the bench rather than between the sticks.
A start in the Betfred Cup win over Kilmarnock is his only competitive appearance to date this season but the same competition will provide him with another outing as Rangers host Ayr United this evening.
The task of displacing McGregor as first choice is an unenviable one for Foderingham. That won’t stop him from trying, however, as he bids to regain the gloves this term.
“Obviously I have found myself out of the side so when I get an opportunity to play I welcome that,” he said.
“Sometimes in my position it is easy to let your head drop and maybe not give 100 per cent but that is not in my character.
“I got the nod to play in that game [against Kilmarnock], put in 100 per cent and was able to put in a good performance. Hopefully I will do the same.
“The rhythm is difficult when you don’t play for a long period of time but I will train hard every day and do more on my days off as well.
“When you are not playing, you get a chance to do a little bit extra so I am feeling good
‘‘ Having a top keeper in front of me will drive my standards up
and fresh and I am looking forward to it.”
When Gerrard set about overhauling the squad that he inherited at Ibrox, few would have pinpointed goalkeeper as one of the priority positions that needed addressing this summer.
The return of McGregor has proven to be a sterling bit of business for Rangers, however, and the 36-year-old has rolled back the years in his second spell in Light Blue.
It has forced Foderingham on to the bench and Jak Alnwick out the door after he moved on loan to Scunthorpe United in search of firstteam football.
McGregor is now a rival and the man that Foderingham must somehow overcome but he is an inspiration and role model for the Englishman as well.
“My first thought was to stay and fight,” Foderingham said. “There were three goalkeepers here and Jak has gone out on loan.
“Someone had to go out and it is me and Greegsy here now. He is playing well and has got the shirt so my job is to train hard and when I get the opportunity to play to give a good account of myself.
“It is good to see that he is playing well and that means that the team are playing well and we are winning football matches.
“That just means that I need to try harder in training and when I get the opportunity to play, make sure that I play well. It drives the whole standards up across the goalkeeping department.
“Of course he has got fantastic experience and the first time he was here he was