Micky Mellon has predicted this will be a big season for Rangers winger Josh McPake.
The youngster, who impressed and netted in Rangers’ 3-2 win over Patrick Thistle on Saturday, he was on-loan at Tranmere Rovers in the last campaign and his former boss expects him to really kick on this year. The 20-year-old has worked hard over the summer doing double sessions over the summer, with Commando X Fitness and a running coach, to get himself in prime condition for pre-season.
McPake has returned flying and has impressed Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his staff with his fitness, test results and the way he has applied himself. Mellon insisted: “Josh is ready to go. I have had a good few phone calls asking about him. He just needs that opportunity now and a coach to give him a chance to go play and to develop. Josh is now at an age where he has got to go and play.
“I genuinely believe this can be a big season for this young man. He is a talented boy, a good dribbler and a top footballer.
“He is quick and strong and he has all the attributes you need in the modern game. I am in no doubt he will develop very quickly into a top, top player.”
McPake’s Rangers career looked to be over last season but his hard work looks to have opened the door again. Mellon admitted he would have taken him back to Prenton Park but felt it was unfair because he has too many players already in that area.
McPake has had a string of loan deals at Morton and Dundee but recently he has had successful loans south of the border with Harrogate, Morecambe and Tranmere. If Rangers are to let him go out again then he is unlikely to be short of options. McPake now has more than 60 games under his belt and has also lifted the English Football League trophy.
Mellon said: “Josh was unlucky because he came down when the team was flying and doing well so it was difficult for him to oust the players that were playing because we had a good run of results. In training and living down here, Josh was still great, even when he wasn’t involved.
“We never had any issues. Not a single problem off the park. We had absolutely no problems with him in his time down here.
“He was well-liked within the club. We still have the same midfield as last season and if we didn’t then we would have tried to get Josh back again.”
McPake is back training with the first-team just now but Mellon knows that it is tough for any of the young players to make an impact at Rangers to Celtic. That is why he has built up a relationship with both clubs to keep the door open for future loans. Last season he had McPake from Rangers and goalkeeper Ross Doohan from Celtic.
“Josh has the ability but we are talking about Rangers,” Mellon claimed. Rangers and Celtic already have brilliant players going there and they are not even breaking into their first-teams.
“These teams are Champions League and Europa League standard. It will be so hard for any young player to break into these groups because of the quality they both possess.
“We give the players a chance to develop another way. We have a good relationship with Rangers.
“We had people up in the summer to meet with Craig Mulholland and we speak to him and his staff all the time. We will always be open to developing their players down here.
“Everybody knows the standard and gives them a different environment. We are close to Celtic and Rangers.
“We had Ross and Josh. We always look to see if there are boys coming down here who can help us and we can help them.”
READ NEXT
