The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Defender McCrorie is now walking tall at Ibrox
Mark Hateley believes Rangers youngster Ross McCrorie is finally walking tall at Ibrox after learning the perils of diving into too many tackles.
The 20-year-old was tipped to become one of Scotland’s greatest defenders by former Gers boss Pedro Caixinha when he made his first-team breakthrough last season.
But McCrorie endured a difficult end to his first campaign as he toiled at the back under the caretaker manager Graeme Murty.
The low point came when he was sent off against Celtic as Brendan Rodgers’ men dished out a humiliating 4-0 Hampden drubbing.
New boss Steven Gerrard took over in the summer and immediately earmarked McCrorie as a midfield enforcer – claiming his predecessors had risked damaging his fledgling career by playing him in defence.
The Scotland Under-21 skipper has been made to bide his time this term but has re-established himself in Gerrard’s line-up recently and won praise as he dominated the likes of Scott Brown and Olivier Ntcham during last month’s Old Firm victory.
Now former Light Blues hero Hateley claims the guidance McCrorie is receiving from Gerrard and assistant boss Gary McAllister is paying off.
Hateley said: “Ross has done very well recently – especially in the Old Firm game.
“If you had asked Ross 18 months ago, he would have admitted he didn’t know what his real position was – a centre-half or a central midfield player.
“But now he’s finding his true direction.”