OPINION
Rangers fans think that they’ve got a star for the future on their hands in Nathan Young-Coombes, the 16-year-old striker who joined them just this month from the Chelsea youth set-up.
He was in action today for the Rangers Under-17s in the ALKASS U17 Cup final against Roma, who took the lead in a tightly-contested first-half.
Young-Coombes was booked for protesting after being fouled when clean through on goal, but after a VAR decision Mattia Ciucci was given a straight red for a professional foul.
However, that was evened out when Kyle McClelland was sent off just before half-time for a dangerous lunge.
Rangers fans were loving what they saw from Young-Coombes though and more so when he set-up Ciaran Dickson for the equaliser in the second-half.
? GOAL: A great finish from Dickson to level the scoring in Doha. https://t.co/tYX3bOz533
— Rangers B & Academy (@RFC_Youth) February 15, 2019
However, the game didn’t have a fairy-tale ending for him and he was subbed off on 76 minutes after it looked like he picked up an injury. That does bring into question the wisdom of making all these games 90 minutes for youngsters.
It also puts paid to the somewhat far-fetched hope of some fans who wanted him on the first flight back and into the first-team for the game against St Johnstone on Saturday.
However, he looks like an incredible talent and Rangers might have landed an absolute gem in Young-Coombs.
The game ended up going to penalties where Rangers won a thrilling shootout 9-8.
Here are the best reactions from fans excited about his future:
Nathan Young Coombes looks a great bit of business just like Middleton was last January, we have a right good batch of youngsters coming through. Can't help but think the prospect of working with Gerrard is a big pull for young talented players.
— Rangers Banter (@RangersBanter17) February 15, 2019
That Young-Coombes and Kai Kennedy are future Rangers first team players for definite.
— Kevin Edward Grant Wakeham (@TheReaperKW) February 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/rabw9/status/1096434461284147202
Young-coombes and Aaron Lyall superb in this final in first half. Rangers unlucky to be 0-1 down at HT. Kai Kennedy standing out as well. C'mon #Rangers #17s
— RT (@Rt_415) February 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/welshy2686/status/1096433425953800192
https://twitter.com/jamiecurrie89/status/1096433396522323968
https://twitter.com/tbarr_/status/1096433032972718080
That young-Coombes for rangers u17 looks fuckn dynamite. Ripping the pish out roma's defence. Unlucky not to have scored. One for the future. ??
— AdamMac (@amacca02) February 15, 2019
Watching this game, solid professional performance. The commentator said SG has an embarrassing amount of young talent in this team. The younger striker(20) young Coombes is exceptionally exciting
— Charlie McGowan (@partick51) February 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/StevieGLoyal/status/1096430700272762886
Young-Coombes is decent eh ?
— ?Davie? (@AyrshireBear84) February 15, 2019
Is Nathan Young-Coombes the greatest talent in world football?
— Kevin Q Anderson (@KQAnderson) February 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/StevieC_72/status/1096429181179711488
this boy Young Coombes is handful, will be in first team squad by the end of the season
— BigBilly (@kaupilla) February 15, 2019
Young Coombes is ferocious. He can buy one hell of a free kick too. Great movement and intensity.
— Foreign Rangers Fan (@kylEnsign) February 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/JonnyEasyOK/status/1096423799547940866
https://twitter.com/RowdenJRSG/status/1096436135075573760
https://twitter.com/toptech55/status/1096380753015988226