Worrall out to send a message to Karanka

JOE WORRALL had a vision of his perfect season. Playing all year for Nottingham Forest and helping his beloved club back to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years.

When that idea was crushed by Aitor Karanka informing him he might have a future but didn’t feature in the present, Worrall found the rejection hard to swallow.

The England Under-21 international was consigned to sitting in the stand for the entire first month of the season, not considered suitable even for a place on the bench and resigned to being packed off on loan. Again.

Two years on from a spell at Dagenham & Redbridge in the Skybet League Two, where he broke his nose and slept on a mattress in a flat shared between five.

The consolation prize offered by Steven Gerrard, however, could turn out to be better than all that Worrall dreamed of. He’s off to Spain this week as Rangers face Villarreal in the Europa League, potentially making his Rangers debut.

‘I wouldn’t say I was unfairly treated at Forest,’ said Worrall. ‘It’s just that the gaffer, didn’t fancy me. He’s brought in his own players but I never sulked.

‘No player wants to be told you are not going to be involved. I wasn’t in the team or even on the bench. That’s difficult to take, especially as I’m a Forest boy.

‘But I’ve come to a huge club in Rangers and I’m happy to be here. This can be a good year for me. The Europa League games give me a great platform to go and show Forest what they are missing.’

After playing for Mark Warburton and Davie Weir until their Hogmanay sacking, Worrall missed most of last three months of 2017/18 with a knee injury as Karanka laid down his plans.

Soon, he was turning to his former bosses for advice on the chance to spend a season in Scotland.

‘They said great things about Rangers, especially Davie who has a special connection with the club,’ said Worrall. ‘Everything he said is true.

‘Davie and Mark brought my game on an awful lot. They taught me to receive the ball from the back and not take liberties. That has stood me in good stead.

‘Davie didn’t need to tell me about football up here. I just asked him about the club as a whole. I know about Scottish football and what to expect.’