Rangers’ Leon King doesn’t deserve the praise he has received according to Frank McAvennie.
Speaking to Football Insider, the former striker said that King has to be featured regularly before he can start to warrant his plaudits.
The 18-year-old played the full 90 minutes as the Gers lost 2-0 at Anfield versus Liverpool and as shown by BT Sport he gave away the penalty which Mohamed Salah converted.
Following the game manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst jumped to the defence of his player and insisted that he is “one of the best defenders at the club”.
However, McAvennie believes that the Scotland U21 international needs to stamp out the errors and has to get a “run of games” in the side.
He told Football Insider:
“You only get so many mistakes in football.
“They are actually praising him in Scotland from what I see, saying he is the new wonderkid and all of this. But I have not seen anything to justify that. Do I think he is a good player? Yes, but he needs games.
“You need to give someone a run. He has to get a run of games and then judge him. We have not seen enough of him to judge him. Anybody needs a run of games.
“You could be terrible coming on as a sub and then when you get a run of games, you fit in to the team and you kick on from there. Sometimes all you need the manager to believe in you and play you.“
TIF Thoughts on King and Rangers…
Should Leon King be sent out on loan?Yes
No
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Having only started once in the league this season the teenager was thrust into the first XI in the Champions League last week as GVB switched to three centre-backs in order to withstand an attacking barrage from the Reds.
Filip Helander and John Souttar are both currently sidelined through injury, so there is potential for King to get a bit more of a run in the side, which was evident in his 30 minute display at the weekend.
But, for now it would seem that King is the third choice in that department and will be called upon as the fixtures mount up but when at full capacity minutes may be hard come by.