It's sink or swim time for Michael Beale as the new Rangers boss prepares to get down to the real business of managing Rangers. And Adam Devine is hoping he’ll be diving in at the deep end along with the new Light Blues boss after making a splash on his big Ibrox audition.
Hibs will head to Glasgow on Thursday to provide the opposition for Beale’s first match in charge. But with Croatian ace Borna Barisic still going for glory in Qatar and Ridvan Yilmaz out injured, the Londoner has a problem to solve at left-back. He tried out kid right-back Devine on the opposite flank on Saturday as his new charges put on an encouraging show in their one and only dress rehearsal before they have to do it all for real against Lee Johnson’s Leith outfit later this week. And the impressive display from the 19-year-old in the 3-0 friendly win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday suggests he’s ready to handle the task.
Devine certainly thinks so as he urged his new manager to let him take the plunge against the Easter Road outfit. The Scotland under-21 ace - who has just three previous top-team run-outs to his name side - said: “I enjoyed that, it was excellent. I’m grateful to the manager for picking me for the starting XI and I really enjoyed getting those minutes under my belt. I just play where the manager wants me to play. I did a job there at left-back on Saturday but hopefully I can stamp my authority and keep playing. To play regularly for this team you have to be adaptable. All the full-backs at the club are great players and with Tav being captain, it can be hard to get past him.
“But maybe if Borna or Ridvan are out the manager might need me to play on the left and I need to show I’m capable of that. Am I ready to face Hibs? Definitely. Saturday was a big game for me to show what I can do. Obviously with the injuries and with Borna being at the World Cup, it’s a great opportunity.”
The bounce game clash was a chance too for Beale to give the Ibrox faithful an early insight into the work he’s been doing with the squad he inherited from Gio van Bronckhorst.
Nine points adrift in the title race, Steven Gerrard’s former right-hand man has been careful not to make any bold promises about reigniting Rangers’ title prospects.
Instead, he’s made it clear his first priority is to help this team rediscover the spark it lost as his predecessor’s reign crumbled under the weight of repeated Champions League hammering and dropped Premiership points.
His transformation is still at the embryonic stage but there were some clear indications of the alterations he’s hoping will give the Light Blues back the zest which took them to a league title just 18 months ago when he was last on the Ibrox payroll.
With a support cast of three floating and rotating playmakers behind the striker, there was plenty of movement and certainly an injection of pace and intensity to a team that increasingly looked lost in the final few weeks under van Bronckhorst.
Malik Tillman appeared to enjoy the former QPR boss’ tinkering, bursting forward to fire home with a confident volley from James Tavernier’s cross as he gave Gers the lead on the quarter-hour mark before nodding home from another of the skipper’s corner deliveries six minutes later.
It remains to be seen how top scorer Antonio Colak will fit into this new style after a largely anonymous 45-minute run out but Beale will have been pleased to see a fitter and more determined looking Alfredo Morelos emerge for the second half.
There was no goal but the Colombian did win the penalty which Tavernier failed to convert before laying on the late third goal for Scott Arfield. An encouraging start but Thursday night is when it matters.
“He’s really set on his game style,” explained Devine. “He’s come in here to win and as a group that’s what we want to do too. As a club, we want success so things have definitely changed. The intensity has gone right up.
“It’s given everyone a lift. All the players are fighting for a place. The manager has come in and his options are open so everybody has to fight for their place and look to get in the team.
“He’s given us more freedom. The front players are allowed to play where they want. They’re not tied down to a set position so long as it works for them and helps the team.
“The new manager knows a few players but at the same time there’s a lot of new boys and we’re trying to get the system back together. That was the first game. There are parts we need to improve but there are similarities there.
“The fans will certainly be there on Thursday so if the team performs and goes out there with a good attitude and desire to win the game for the fans then I’m sure it will be a great night for everybody.”
Devine is grateful for the fact skipper Tavernier has taken him under his wing. And he’s delighted to see another leading figure in the dressing room returning after Beale confirmed Connor Goldson is in contention to face Hibs, a month ahead of his expected comeback from injury.
Devine said: “It’s a huge boost to have Connor back. He’s a massive player, a leader for us on and off the pitch. He’s a great defender and we’re looking forward to having him back.
“Tav is also a great role model on and off the pitch. Because we play in the same position, he helps me a lot. But I can’t single anyone out. All the players in the first team have been great since I moved up. Playing with the full-backs here has really helped me come on.
“A few years ago I’d been watching the likes of Borna and Tav week in, week out so I had a rough idea of what their strengths were as I moved up to the first team and I’ve tried to add that to my game.
“Now I’m just working hard every day to improve as much as I can. You need to perform in training to get your opportunity. If you perform in training I don’t see why you shouldn’t get picked. Everybody is fighting for their place.”
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