John Lundstram’s Rangers career might have been over after seven months.
Now Mo Ross reckons it could last seven YEARS and land the Scouse star a place in the Ibrox Hall of Fame.
Ross believes his old Gers team-mate Giovanni van Bronckhorst can build successful teams around Lundstram for many seasons to come.
He has seen enough from the 28-year-old as midfield powerhouse and Europa League lynchpin in defence to suggest legendary status awaits.
That’s on the evidence of a remarkable three months in which Lundstram’s Ibrox fortunes have been transformed from zero to hero.
Toiling for form under old boss Steven Gerrard, then struggling to make van Bronckhorst’s starting side, he was linked with a January move to Middlesbrough.
His former Sheffield United gaffer Chris Wilder remains a huge fan but Lundstram insists he never even considered bailing out.
Ross said: “It’s incredible to think there were grumblings about him and that he could’ve left in January.
“Lundstram wouldn’t pick up the phone to Middlesbrough now, would he? He’s 28 years old and Rangers should be getting his best years. So let’s keep this boy and build around him.
“Steven Davis is kind of moving out now, so surround Lundstram with good young players and he can be the cornerstone of a team. And when he’s 33, he can play centre-back every week. We’ve seen that he can do it.”
Lundstram started at the heart of the Rangers defence alongside Connor Goldson and Calvin Bassey at RB Leipzig.
That switch came within five minutes of paying a draw dividend in the Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday.
But Rangers remain well in the tie and Ross backs van Bronckhorst to get more tactical calls right in this week’s return.
He says that former Ibrox boss Dick Advocaat would have been proud of that Lundstram curve ball.
An early goal from van Bronckhorst beat Monaco in a famous Champions League clash in September 2000, when the Dutch boss deployed Turkish midfielder Tugay as sweeper.
Ross recalled: “Dick played Tugay at centre back in Europe a couple of times and was deemed a tactical genius.
“Gio has done that before in Europe with Lundstram and did it again the other night.
“Tactically, it was brilliant, really spot on. I thought they were unlucky to lose.
“Gio is so switched on and the team round about him are too.
“His tactical nous really comes to the fore in Europe and against Celtic.”
Lundstram never left the bench the last time Rangers travelled to Parkhead, losing 3-0 in a February flop.
But just two weeks ago he was the top performer at Hampden as Gers reached the Scottish Cup Final by beating the Hoops after extra-time.
Ross said: “Lundstram was strolling about the pitch like Graeme Souness in the semi-final!
“There’s a clip from Rangers’ archives where I see Souness in an Old Firm
game just turn and clip a pass out to Davie Cooper standing right on the touchline.
“That’s what Lundstram reminded me of when he did a similar thing in the semi-final – zipping one out to James Tavernier. And the way he goes in with 100 per cent commitment to tackles – bang – then goes calm. That’s a gift.
“Typical midfield grafters are on 10 out of 10 intensity all the time so, when it comes to a composed pass, they can skew it.
“Lundstram, however, goes from totally intense to completely calm just in a flash.
“He’s an English Premier League player all day long. If you’re talking Ryan Kent’s worth, double that for Lundstram.
“But hopefully he keeps on showing what he has shown the last six weeks, plays for another seven years at Rangers and ends up in the Hall of Fame.”
Ross reckons Lundstram’s captain, Tavernier, already has his place in Ibrox folklore booked.
Tavernier, 30, has been through the mill, not least four years ago when
sickening defeats to Celtic signalled the end of many a Rangers career.
He was part of a group made to look pitiful in 4-0 and 5-0 pummellings within a fortnight.
Ross insisted: “That scars inferior players but it didn’t scar Tav.
“He never went hiding. He took the bullets. Tav has always been a good player but played with lesser players while Rangers were in that predicament.
“Gradually, Rangers got better players round about him, he started to flourish, became captain and he’ll absolutely be a Hall of Famer.”
Tavernier’s growth as a leader stands out for Ross after his captaincy was questioned by his own fans and mocked by rivals.
He said: “What he has done is, quietly, take on the mantle of the top man.
“He’s gone about his business with a touch of class, is never big-mouthed, he’s a wonderful Rangers captain.
“To take pelters at Ibrox is tough. It’s not just for those 90 minutes, it’s when you’re walking to Waitrose, you hear the murmurings: ‘He’s sh***, he’s rubbish.’
“But he has been phenomenal – something I never saw coming. People talk about legends who come to Rangers for 18 months. No, not for me.
“Legends stand the test of time, legends win leagues, legends churn out games.
“Tav’s barely missed a game in seven seasons. Being Rangers captain isn’t just about 90 minutes and, in that sense, he’s been exceptional.”
