PLAYING FOR KEEPS

McCrorie ready to embrace the challenge to be McGregor’s Ibrox successor

ROBBY McCRORIE believes he has learned from the very best. Watching Allan McGregor’s unstinting training-ground preparation — day after day, year after year — provided him with an example of excellence.

Now, McCrorie feels it can be his time to shine. To do so, he may have to start on an uncannily similar path to the man leaving the club this summer.

Both are youth system products at Rangers. McCrorie is now 25 and just nine months older than McGregor was when he made his first-team breakthrough in 2006 under Paul Le Guen’s management. At the time, the Scot had to see off competition from a high-profile signing in Lionel Letizi.

This summer, Michael Beale will also add an experienced goalkeeper. Jack Butland is a leading target, with a deal thought to be close.

After a run of three starts recently, the arrival of a big-name rival could potentially knock McCrorie back down the pecking order. He is, however, ready to embrace the challenge of proving he can be the long-term No1.

‘It’s just part and parcel of being at Rangers,’ insisted McCrorie. ‘There’s going to be a big overhaul in the summer and it’s just the way it is. Competition is good.

‘The club wants to win trophies, so that’s what you need. I don’t think you can fear that, you have to rise to it.’

The attitude carries an echo of McGregor’s no-nonsense approach. Given a farewell at Ibrox after Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw against Hearts, the 41-yearold’s influence on his younger colleague has been substantial.

‘You look at Greegsy and some of the big saves and big moments that he’s had for the club,’ said McCrorie.

‘His legacy will carry on. I feel that I’ve learned from the best and it’s now important for me to be the best version of myself. What Allan has done is just him. I need to just try to be the best I can be.

‘Watching Greegsy, even in Europe, I don’t think I could have anyone better in terms of how to do it at a club like this.

‘By that I mean day to day, not just in a game. How to prepare and what to do after games. He’s just the best for that kind of thing.

‘You have that in-built in you. I’ve always had that just because of the way my parents brought me up. I’ve always had that work ethic the same as Allan.

‘I actually enjoy being in before everyone. It’s quite nice having that quietness just to do your work! But there’s no denying if you don’t do that hard work it would be a lot more difficult to get where you want to be.’

McCrorie was just eight when his mentor became established with Rangers. When he entered the club’s youth system, the ultimate hope of all the coaches was to find a talent capable of becoming McGregor’s successor.

‘For me, who’s been at the club for so long, it was just a lifelong ambition,’ continued McCrorie, who had loan spells at Berwick, Morton, Queen of the South and Livingston.

‘It felt like that was just the natural thing coming through the system to want to be playing every week at the club.

‘And then when you get older there’s no denying it’s in your thoughts as he was the last one who came through and established himself and had the career he’s had.

‘So it was always the question of who was going to be next. For me, that was always a big driving point as well as other factors.’ An ankle injury was one factor which delayed his involvement under Beale. McCrorie, though, always felt valued by the manager following his arrival last November. ‘When he came in, he said he would give me an opportunity,’ reflected McCrorie. ‘And being honest, we’ve not needed to speak too much recently. There’s been a trust there. ‘I try to prepare every day as if I was playing regardless. He’s just let me do that. I know what’s required. ‘The most important thing for us is just to win games. Nothing else really matters. There were never any promises. I just knew an opportunity would come. And then it’s up to you to make the most of it.’ McCrorie’s brother Ross came up through the Rangers ranks with him, but the adaptable defender opted to move to Aberdeen in 2020 and is now a target for English Championship outfit Bristol City. His sibling admits there have been some moments of deep thought in his own situation. After two first-team appearances early last term, he had to wait 20 months for another to follow.

English clubs were keen. McCrorie, however, agreed a contract extension at Ibrox until 2025. What made him stay?

‘It was just a belief I had,’ he replied. ‘I felt inside me that it just had to happen. There were wee doubts along the way as you thought something was going to happen and then it ended up not.

‘So it’s about having that determination. I truly believe that if you work hard enough stuff does come your way. I’ve tried to work as hard as I can every day. That way there can be no excuses.’

Of his first five Rangers appearances, two have been against Celtic and both yielded clean sheets. The only goal McCrorie has conceded so far, in fact, came from a Paul Hanlon header deep into stoppage time in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Hibs.

‘I was raging at that!’ he smiled. ‘There were two minutes left. You knew they would get a chance at some point but the circumstance with how late it was made it harder to take.

‘Like any keeper, you don’t like to concede but the main thing was that we won. That was my fifth game and it would have been nice to have had another clean sheet as that’s what you pride yourself on.’