Dec’sleft anyfears onrole in hiswake
PEDRO CAIXINHA hailed Declan John for learning how to play left-back from scratch – then insisted he can be moulded to make a major impact at Rangers.
The Cardiff loanee has been a smash-hit since slotting in in the absence of injured skipper Lee Wallace.
Caixinha revealed the wing-back has had to adapt to the role after his arrival for the season and reckons an ability to turn winger too gives him plenty of options.
The Ibrox boss said: “Declan is a player who was never coached how to play as a left-back so he did it a couple of times with us and did it very well because we are a team that likes to attack and likes to have the full-backs go up and attack – he can give us that.”
John scored twice in Gers’ 4-1 win at Hamilton and Caixinha added: “Declan is growing in that position.
“Now we need to coach him how to defend in that position because getting in attack and being involved by overlaps or underlaps or getting in the box, crosses delivered and even scoring goals, he’s doing it.
“Now we need to work on the other parts to have a balanced player as well.”
Several Gers youngsters will get a chance to impress in tomorrow’s closed-doors friendly against Morton.
And Caixinha has cited Ross McCrorie, who has started their last two games, as an example to follow.
He said: “We’ll give a chance to players who have the potential to be with us.”