Michael Beale reckons the Lowland League isn’t providing Rangers’ young players with a proper pathway to his first team.
And he believes it’s wrong that he can’t field experienced pros alongside the kids to aid their development. At the moment, Rangers B play in the Lowland League but can’t be promoted to the SPFL Proposals for a new Conference League below League Two could change that. But Beale claims the current set-up hinders youngsters’ progress at Rangers and is keen for their top talent to play sides from England and Europe instead.
The Rangers boss said: “I don’t think the Lowland League is a good bridge so we need to look at other games. In the last month our B team played Chelsea, Liverpool, Celtic, Manchester United and Sunderland. It’s important to give these boys a bridge and create something like an old-fashioned reserve team, where the boys who aren’t playing for me, or are coming back from injury, play with the youngsters.
“I don’t like stopping the likes of Ianis Hagi and Robby McCrorie playing games. The Lowland League is too restrictive as it’s Under-21. I understand why it was brought in but I think it is restrictive. I would like a programme that is more creative, bespoke and can-do. The club is really pushing with others to get our teams in the pyramid like in Portugal, Holland and Germany. It’s important people making the decisions give us some oxygen and light at the end of the tunnel. We have that with the Conference League vote.”
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