We can take a lot more control of our own youth pipeline without waiting for someone else to sort it. To be fair, opportunities this season were thin at times, but when the club did blood youngsters in cup games they loved it. Rohl looks like the sort of manager who, with time, will give minutes to the kids – and we should be ready to back that up structurally.

Make minutes matter

There is nothing mystical here. Put promising players on the bench for league games and bring them on when the scoreline allows it. It builds match sharpness, confidence and familiarity with the first-team rhythm. You can coach technique and shape all day, but real development often comes from those 20 minutes under pressure. Rangers have used that approach in cup ties and you saw the players respond. The trick is consistency — not one-off cameos.

B teams or a reshaped league?

A B team inside the senior leagues would be ideal, but it does mean rethinking the structure. The Championship expanding to 16–18 teams, or a proper Premier League 2 made of B sides, would create regular, meaningful fixtures for youngsters. I’d even take a 16-team Premiership if it made managers more willing to play youth against the smaller clubs. It’s about giving competitive minutes, not playing friendlies in training.

Don’t wait on the SFA

The SFA have been slow at times and, honestly, it’s frustrating. With Scotland back in major tournaments, you’d hope that momentum would force proper reform. My worry is they’ll rest on their laurels and use qualification as evidence nothing needs fixed. The club can and should act where the governing body won’t — build pathways, reward youth minutes and make sure promising lads don’t stagnate on the bench.

Truth is, the solutions are straightforward. It’ll take patience and planning, but giving our young players real, regular game time is something Rangers can push for now.

Written by Cooper11-Legend: 22 March 2026

Tags: squad tactics