Rangers academy coach Graeme Murty has been left raving over the ability and talents of young forward Glenn Middleton after he brought him in to the club during his stint as manager.
The 43-year-old played a big part in securing the capture of Middleton, who he knew from his time with Norwich City, when he was in the dugout for his spell with the first team at Ibrox back in January, and the 18-year-old has already established himself as part of Steven Gerrard’s first team for the upcoming campaign.
Speaking of the winger, Murty insisted there was no question Rangers needed to snap him up when he became available, and says it is no surprise to see him succeeding despite his tender age.
He told the Scottish Sun: “I’ve known Glenn for a long time and when I heard he was coming out of Norwich it was a no-brainer to bring him in.
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Middleton has already caught the eye of the Rangers faithful during his fleeting appearances so far but it sounds as though Murty is not surprised in the slightest to see him thriving in senior football. He obviously has been there watching his development for much of the youngster’s career, first at Norwich and now with the Light Blues, and perhaps his coaching has been a big part of how far he has come. Of course, Middleton cannot afford to rest on his laurels and will have to put in the time and effort into ensuring he remains as part of the first team for the long-term future, but with his talents, that only comes down to whether he has the work ethic to succeed. Murty certainly thinks he does, but will Gerrard think differently? That remains to be seen, but it will act as a reminder to other youngsters that making the step up from youth team to senior side is a real possibility at Ibrox.