This year’s Development Squad will be made up predominantly by under-19 players, supplemented by under-17/18 and a few under-20 players in-line with the Academy strategy to challenge younger players.
Two years ago, Gers’ Development Squad took part in an innovative European games programme, while last year, they entered and won the SPFL Reserve League.
This year’s programme has been designed taking into account recent experiences and significant research to create a varied programme with the objectives of challenging the club’s young players against men’s first teams and against the best European players at their age.
Rangers Development Squad, this season, will participate in:
Europe’s top competition for elite youth teams. Participation from winning last year’s under-18 league. Under-19 competition with three under-20 players permitted. Draw at UEFA headquarters on September 3.
This year’s Glasgow Cup will see a significant change with Clyde, Queens Park and Partick Thistle playing predominantly first team players against under-21’s plus two overage players from Rangers and Celtic. Rangers’ squad will be made up predominantly of under-19 players, providing a great challenge for the players against first-teams in first-team stadiums.
Having already beaten the first-teams of Berwick Rangers and Stranraer in the first two rounds, Gers will now play Ballymena United from Northern Ireland in round three on September 18. This competition permits under-21’s plus two overage players, though again, Gers will expose predominantly under-19’s to playing against men’s first teams.
Like two years ago, Rangers will expose their young players to playing against the best young talent from top European clubs, and already, they have played Chelsea under-23s, and Manchester United under-23s and most notably Ajax, winning 4-3 last weekend. Games are in the diary against the likes of Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Nordsjaeland with these predominantly being under-20 matches. In addition, a series of games have been arranged with Aberdeen, Hibs, Celtic, Huddersfield and Brentford, who have also all withdrawn from their reserve leagues, at under-21 level plus three overage players.
Head of Academy, Craig Mulholland commented: “We are excited by this programme which provides real variety with competition against men’s first teams but also exceptional challenges against some of Europe’s top young players. In addition, of course, we have many players who would be eligible for these games such as Josh McPake, Cammy Palmer, Zak Rudden and Stephen Kelly on-loan which is allowing us to individualise player challenge and hopefully giving each player a level of stimulation which will push their individual development.
“During pre-season we have played Cambridge, Stirling Albion, Ayr United, Crusaders and Mansfield’s first-teams, and that was deliberately designed to push the opportunities against men, and given the education, results and performances, we know we need more of them. The new Glasgow Cup format and the SPFL Challenge Cup will provide that.
“Our pre-season game with Chelsea under-23’s was excellent and we watched our players have to maximise their attributes, in particular the mental and tactical aspects, to finish 1-1. The test against Ajax was exceptional in Amsterdam last weekend beating a UEFA Youth League team who went on to beat Barcelona this midweek. Great ‘best v best’ tests to push and stretch our young Scottish talent. By lining up the likes of Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, we will see both our players and staff pushed further. I can sense the excitement among the group for what promises to be a fantastic year of learning and challenge”
FIXTURES
27 August – Glasgow Cup – Partick Thistle (First Team) – (H)
11 September – Reserve Friendly – Hibernian Under-21 (+ 3 overage) – (H)
18 September –Tunnocks’ Caramel Wafer Cup – Ballymena Utd (First Team) – (A)
25 September – Games Programme – Nordsjaeland Under-20 – (A)
W/B 30 September – UEFA Youth League R1 (U19 + 3 overage) – TBC
W/B 14 October – Glasgow Cup – Celtic Under-21 (+ 2 overage)
W/B 21 October – UEFA Youth League R1 (U19 + 3 overage U20’s) – TBC
29/30 October – Glasgow Cup – Clyde (First Team) – (H)
W/B 4 November – UEFA Youth League R2 (U19 + 3 overage U20’s) – (R1 Result Dependent)
16/17 November – Games Programme – Inter Milan Under-U19/20 – (A)
W/B 25 November – UEFA Youth League R2 (U19 + 3 overage U20’s) – (R1 Result Dependent)
3/4 December – Glasgow Cup – Queen’s Park (First Team) – (A)
10 December – Reserve Friendly – Brentford Under-21 (+3 overage) – (H)
17 December – Reserve Friendly – Aberdeen Under-21 (+ 3 overage) – (A)