Rangers youngster Danny Wilson will make his first-team debut in Tuesday's Co-op Cup tie against Dundee.
Defender gets chance to shine at Dens Park
Rangers youngster Danny Wilson will make his first-team debut in Tuesday's Co-operative Insurance Cup tie against First Division leaders Dundee.
The 17-year-old has been widely tipped as one of the next big things in Scottish football and mounting injuries at Ibrox have given the central defender his first chance.
Rangers manager Walter Smith admits the quarter-final at Dens Park will not be the easiest start for Wilson, but also stressed the need for defender David Weir to be given a rest ahead of tough games against Dundee United and Unirea Urziceni.
"Danny Wilson will play," Smith told the
Daily Record. "He was injured for a couple of weeks but he is ready to get an opportunity at the present moment. This will be a decent game for him to get a chance to start.
"As a central defender, it is not always easy for an 18-year-old to come in and be placed in that position, considering it is one you look for players who are reasonably experienced to handle.
"But he certainly has the talent and I hope given a wee bit of time, because it is always easier for a young forward to show than a young defender, he has most of what is necessary to become a good player.
Ambition
"He has a good confidence about him. So far I've been maybe a wee bit over-protective of him, indeed a couple of them, because I do not feel the team have been playing to its best level. So bringing in a youngster is not the easiest option at that time.
"But there seems to be something about the ones we have got. They have a level of ambition about them.
"The reason they are getting the chance is this is a vital week for us, going away to Tannadice then playing on the Wednesday after a disappointing result previously we still find ourselves, with three games to go, with a real opportunity of actually being able to do something in the Champions League although our performance level will have to rise dramatically."
Smith, meanwhile, does not expect Dundee to be worried about Rangers' financial concerns and off-field problems, knowing they will be more interested in adding to the SPL side's agony.
"Dundee are in good circumstances," he said. "They have improved their team by buying in players. They have gone to the top of the league at the weekend and it is a cup tie that they will fancy. There is no doubt about that.
"Dundee should be a team in the top division and they are heading that way. The game will be a really good cup tie."
