MURTY THRILLED BY CHANCE TO GUIDE RISE OF McCRORIE

THROWN in for a senior debut against Celtic and leant on at the heart of defence amid a Rangers crisis, Ross McCrorie is sampling one of the tougher teenage introductions to Ibrox first-team life.

This deep-end initiation doesn’t warrant compassion from development squad boss Graeme Murty, though, as he now manages his former Under-20s captain (below) in a caretaker capacity in the Premiership.

But Murty will continue to give 19-year-old McCrorie all the advice he needs.

Murty said: ‘I have a distinct lack of sympathy for him, he’s playing for Rangers against Celtic — a childhood dream! It’s supposed to be hard, it’s meant to be difficult. If everyone could do it, there would be no point.

‘Everyone need not apply to play for this football club. Everyone need not apply for this manager’s job. It’s going to be tough and we need to find ways of helping our players cope with that so that when it’s difficult, it doesn’t become insurmountable. ‘It’s interesting when you work with someone really closely because you can’t help but see everything they do wrong. You want to correct it and help them through it. That’s what it’s like with Ross, I was doing that in his last game because I want to help him. ‘His attributes are there for everyone to see. He’s very quick, he’s brave, good technically and he has a fantastic opportunity to claim a shirt here. ‘Ross has a fantastic mindset. He wants to improve himself every day and works very diligently. ‘There’s more to come from him and it’s our job to give him the platform to expand his abilities.’