Barry Ferguson has compared Ross McCausland to Neil McCann after his impressive performances for Rangers this season.
Writing on the Daily Record website on Friday (24 November), the pundit said he saw the former Gers winger “screaming out of” the 20-year-old when he saw him in the 2-0 victory over Livingston on 12 November.
He added that the Northern Ireland international has a “long, long way to go” before he reaches the level of his ex-teammate, who he would include in his all-time Light Blues best XI, but he believes the similarities are “frightening” between the pair.
“That brings me back to my compliment to McCausland because when I was watching him at Livingston the other week, I saw Neil McCann screaming out of him,” said Ferguson. “Don’t get me wrong, the young man has a long, long way to go in his Rangers career before he’s up there with my old mate.
“But when I say he’s got all the attributes required to make a similar kind of impact at the club, I honestly can’t think of any higher accolade. Like Terry, he’s an out-and-out winger with pace to burn and an eye for goal. Every time he gets on the ball he looks to get forward, take on his full-back and make things happen.
“But it’s the work he puts in when he’s not in possession which has really caught my eye and makes me think back to when McCann first came to Ibrox.
“The similarities are frightening and you can see from the way the Rangers fans have responded to him in these early stages how excited they are about his potential. So, like them, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the boy has got good people advising him as he contemplates the next stage of his career.”
High praise
It’s pretty high praise for McCausland from Ferguson because McCann was an influential figure in the Rangers side in the late 90s and early 2000s following his move from Hearts.
The winger won nine trophies in just five years at Ibrox in what was a golden era for the club – a time that Gers fans will look back on with great memories.
The Northern Irishman will be hoping he can record half of the success McCann had with the Light Blues after they have been starved of trophies in recent years.
He will get a chance to help put that right when his side take on Aberdeen in the Viaplay Cup final on 17 December, where they will be looking to lift the trophy for the first time since 2011.
The winger’s first priority, though, will be to ensure he nails down a regular place in the starting lineup after impressing when called upon by Philippe Clement in recent weeks.
