Business as usual
Wilson is sure McKay will blank speculation and stay on top form
SHOULD Barrie McKay ever want advice on how to cope with the pressures of being a young man in demand, he need look no further than a few pegs away in the Rangers dressing room.
For McKay in 2017, read Danny Wilson in 2010. Seven years ago, Wilson, a precocious centre-half, was Scottish football’s hottest property with Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City chasing his signature.
Joining Liverpool in a £2million deal may not have turned out to be a great career move, but Wilson can at least claim not to have let the saga over his future affect his performances for the Ibrox club.
The defender duly signed off for Anfield in the summer of 2010 having won the Scottish title and Scottish League Cup that season.
Having been on the bench when Rangers beat Falkirk in the 2009 Scottish Cup Final, he departed Glasgow by claiming the entire set of domestic honours aged just 18.
Wilson (below) feels his passion for playing kept his performance levels undimmed in the face of increasing interest from English clubs.
And he detects the same love of the game in McKay, who has 18 months left on his current deal amid interest from big-spending RB Leipzig.
Citing as proof positive that the 22-year-old can also block out the background noise, he points to McKay’s display on Saturday as Rangers got out of jail against Motherwell in the Scottish Cup at Ibrox.
‘How did the transfer speculation affect me at the time? I don’t think it did,’ smiled Wilson. ‘But, of course, I can understand why it does affect people. I don’t want to use the cliche that I was just happy to play football — but I was. I was young and I was just enjoying being involved with the first team. Everything else wasn’t that important to me. I just wanted to get on with it and I am sure Barrie will just do the same.
‘Yes, there has been speculation, but he will just get on with it.
‘It didn’t affect him at all on Saturday against Motherwell. Other than Kenny Miller’s goals, Barrie was the outstanding player on the park. If he can keep doing that, he will be fine.’
While Wilson would be happy to discuss how to handle being at the centre of transfer attention, he is more reluctant to interfere when it comes to whether his teammate’s future should lie in Leipzig.
‘I wouldn’t give Barrie any advice because I think everyone’s situation is completely different,’ he admitted. ‘Quite a lot of the time, you see young players linked with moves.
‘There’s always someone who thinks you should do this or that. But it’s not my business. It’s Barrie’s. He’s contracted here for another year-and-a-half and I am sure he will just carry on doing what he does.’ Wilson, though, was keen to add his voice to the ever-increasing cacophony of calls concerning the contract situation of striker Kenny Miller. Arguably Rangers’ best player this season, the 37year-old scored twice in the 2-1 comeback win in the cup.
Out of contract this summer, Miller is keen to stay at Ibrox and Wilson hopes a new deal will be given to a true professional who he says has the respect of the Rangers squad.
‘Everyone wants it to be sorted,’ Wilson said. ‘And if you speak to Kenny he isn’t looking to go anywhere else. Hopefully, we don’t dwell and we get him sorted out because he’s massive for us.
‘He showed against Motherwell why he is so important to the team — not just his goals, but his all-round performance.
‘We were struggling to get goals and he came up with that wee bit of quality. Both his finishes were outstanding. You wouldn’t know his age if you watched his performances.
‘But because he is getting on, he is probably looking after himself better than when he was younger.
‘He’s very important to us and we are glad to have him. Hopefully we can hang onto him a bit longer.’
Wilson likens Miller’s presence to that of David Weir when he was signed by Walter Smith ten years ago this month. Weir was 36 and spent five years at the club. Wilson says Miller can follow in his footsteps by playing into his 40s.
‘I’d say he’s similar to David Weir,’ stated Wilson, in the process of recovering from a calf strain.
‘It’s difficult to compare the two of them because they are different players. But every squad needs that experienced guy.
‘On the pitch, he is still doing the business for us, but he has a great impact off the pitch, too. He is an example in everything he does and I hope he plays a bit longer. I think it’s possible he could play until he is 40. You’d have to ask him, but he’s not showing any signs of slowing up.’
Danny Wilson was speaking as Rangers Youth Development Company presented Rangers Youth Academy with a cheque for £175,000.