I needed to leave Rangers to get my career going
ROSS McCRORIE was thrilled to be viewed by none other than Steven Gerrard as a big- game player. But in the end, he was unable to convince the former Liverpool and England captain to make him a big player of games with Rangers.
Trusted in Old Firm clashes with Celtic, and big European nights against the likes of Rapid Vienna, the up-and-coming midfielder knew he needed regular minutes in the team if his talent was to truly flourish.
When that was not forthcoming, the 22-year-old headed out for a season-long loan at English League One side Portsmouth.
Finding out on his return to Ibrox that a steady first-team place was still out of reach, he informed boss Gerrard he was making the decision to turn back on the climb up a footballing mountain whose summit eludes most who attempt the journey.
McCrorie, though, is now hoping to draw on his experiences of growing up at Rangers and playing in front of 50,000 fans to scale the heights with Aberdeen.
The first player to make the journey from Ibrox to Pittodrie on a full-time basis in 51 years, when his loan deal becomes permanent next summer for a fee of £350,000, McCrorie hopes his footballing education in Govan can help bring silverware to Derek McInnes’ Granite City side.
‘I need to be playing regular football and that was the reason I told Rangers I wanted to leave,’ said McCrorie, who rejected interest from Hibernian.
‘For the good of my career, I had to leave. For me to develop as a player, and prove myself as a player and a person, Aberdeen was the right place to come to.
‘I first heard of Aberdeen’s interest a couple of days ago and I was flattered by it. The club is massive and, when I spoke to the gaffer, the ambition of the club made it a no-brainer.
‘Everything he said was the right thing for me. I felt this was the best place to come and develop as a player, moving my game on.
‘I wanted to come to Aberdeen. I am happy that I’ll become a permanent signing after this season. It’s a huge club, there is a European history and I have admired Aberdeen’s consistency over the years.
‘The manager knows me as a player from playing against Aberdeen and I liked that.
‘I have been moulded to play under the pressure and that is where I thrive. I have had it at Rangers and Portsmouth and I will have it at Aberdeen too, where we are expected to be up there and challenging.
‘Coming here, I just want to help the team out the best I can and, hopefully, get a few trophies along the way.’
Part of McCrorie’s struggle to make his mark at Rangers may have been down to his versatility. In his short career to date, he has been all things to all men.
Pedro Caixinha burdened him with the weight of unreasonable expectations by predicting he would become one of the best centre-halves in the history of Rangers and Scotland.
Viewing him as a defensive midfielder, Caixinha’s successor, Gerrard, rated him as potentially a future Ibrox captain.
However, on loan at Portsmouth, manager Kenny Jackett played him at right-back.
McCrorie is in no doubt where he sees his best position. But he is happy to play anywhere for his new manager, who could use him in defence at St Johnstone tomorrow as Aberdeen return to action after an absence down to eight of their players breaching Covid-19 regulations.
McCrorie told Red TV: ‘I am more or less a centre midfielder but last season, at Portsmouth, I was right-back.
‘The two seasons I had at Rangers, I played centre midfield and that’s where I prefer to play.
‘The manager spoke to me about a couple of positions I can play and what he wants from me, but I will keep that private.
‘Being versatile gives the gaffer options and it can help the team out as well.’
For McCrorie there is the welcome prospect of a reunion at Aberdeen with players he knows well from the international scene and his youth football days.
In his first run-out at Pittodrie, he is also hoping to make a slice of family history by coming up against twin brother Robby for the first time. The young Rangers goalkeeper is currently on loan at Livingston, who travel to the Granite City on Sunday.
McCrorie said: ‘Matty Kennedy is an Ayrshire boy like me and I know Lewis Ferguson from the Under-21s.
‘It’s going to be an easy group to settle into and that helps. I’ve spoken to a couple of them, so I feel comfortable already.
‘If my brother and I play on Sunday, it will be the first time we have faced each other. We are twins so we are close.
‘We stayed together (in a flat) down the road. But I have always been in the same teams as my brother so we haven’t played against each other yet.’