Rangers’ upsurge under Steven Gerrard deserves a lot of praise, particularly after the previous torrid spell under Pedro Caixinha. The Liverpool great secured the signing of an array of new names over the past three windows and rebuilt the core to close the gap with their bitter rivals Celtic at the top of the Premiership standings.
Yet he has kept close tabs on the progression of their academy prodigies and promoted a few impressive starlets to the senior training. Lewis Mayo is the one who has drawn everyone’s attention as the 19-year-old centre-half is working tirelessly to gain first-team status in the forthcoming future.
The youngster found the net against Oxford United in the Gers’ 5-0 pre-season win at Ibrox. It was a moment to cherish for the teenager who has been at the club since the age of seven. However, the presence of Connor Goldson, Filip Helander, Nikola Katic and George Edmundson has jeopardised his future in Govan to some extent.
How Mayo Is Preparing Himself For The First-team Role
Mayo, nevertheless, is confident of making it into Gerrard’s long-term plans and has revealed (as cited by the Scottish Sun) how the likes of Goldson, Jermain Defoe and Alfredo Morelos are helping him develop as a footballer.
“Connor Goldson has been brilliant with me, he has always had an eye out for me when I play alongside him and he works with me. Jermain Defoe has been excellent as well because I play against him. He will tell me what I am doing well. It is hard and the thing is, it is either him or Alfredo Morelos in training, so you are not really getting a break. It is one or the other.”
He has been majestic for the Colts who have made it through to the semis of the Challenge Cup under Graeme Murty and must be determined to conquer the silverware to make his presence known.
Should Gerrard Hand Him His Rangers Debut Soon?
Rangers, in recent years, have struggled to promote the youth as they are under pressure to prevent Celtic’s Scottish supremacy immediately. While the likes of Andrew Dallas, Kyle Bradley, Liam Burt, Myles Beerman and Ryan Hardie have been offloaded in summer, the McCrorie brothers, Stephen Kelly, Cammy Palmer, Josh McPake, Zak Rudden and Jordan Houston have been sent out on loan with little hope of breaking into the senior side once the spells conclude.
Greg Docherty, though retained, has rarely been deployed and the trend is alarming for the youngsters who aspire to shine donning the famous Light Blues shirt. Gerrard, therefore, should start considering Mayo as a sporadic option and field him in the cup fixtures along with the outings that they expect to win comfortably in front of the home crowd.
