Grealish example has seen Josh pull his socks up for return to Rangers
Many managers run a mile from comparing burgeoning young talent with an established star, for fear of tilting unnecessary pressure on them.
In the case of Rangers prospect, Josh McPake, Harrogate Town manager, Simon Weaver, is unconcerned by the notion.
By spotting similarities in his Ibrox loan man and the maverick Jack Grealish, Weaver hopes McPake will aspire to reach the level of the Aston Villa and England star.
The winger wears his socks low in Grealish’s trademark style. But he was asked to figuratively pull them up on a few occasions this season as Weaver demanded an increase in work-rate off the ball.
Improvement in that department features in a glowing report card sent back with McPake to Ibrox and Weaver’s friend, Gary McAllister, after the end of the English League Two season yesterday.
The Town boss said: “Josh is so strong on the ball, a bit like Grealish. I think he’s even trying to look like him by having his socks down.
“We joke about that a lot. If you’re going to wear your socks like that, then you’ve got to play like him.
“I have to say there are other similarities. He’s got the same leg strength, the power and in the way he likes to cut in. He commits a lot of people to fouls.
“I think it’s good to have someone, who’s an example to take a close look at.
“Josh may think: ‘Right, what will it take to maximise my talent? What does Grealish do in his role? What positions does he take up?’”
Nineteen-year-old McPake scored four goals, and secured an FA Trophy winner’s medal at Wembley in his 25 appearances. After two shorter loan spells at Dundee and Morton, the stint in Yorkshire saw McPake do a lot of growing up.
Much as Weaver would like him back, he predicts a step up in grade to League One or one of Rangers’ Premiership rivals for the Scotland Under-19 cap next season.
Weaver said: “Wherever Josh goes, he needs to be playing as much as possible. He wants 25 games again, preferably up a level.
“If he just comes to us straight away, then – being realistic from our point of view – you might have a disappointed player.
“Josh is outstandingly talented at times. He has undoubted natural ability. His strengths are driving with flair at full-backs and centre-backs.
“But what Rangers are getting back, I’d like to think, is a difference in workrate. He’s learned from mistakes.
“When matching his talent with high-tempo energy – our trademark is intense closing down, squeezing up and pressing high – he’s looked a different player.
“Just by being young, at times he’s had to have reminders to up that work-rate out of possession. When he’s done that, he’s blown people away.
“He knows there’s a lot of hard miles to do. So Josh has to find the work ethic that the top talents implement to achieve the mostsuccessful forms of themselves.
“So saying to Josh: ‘Pull your socks up’, is part tongue-in-cheek.”