Lewis McLeod

Well he did miss the last part of the season after being clobbered by a 3rd division player.

Would he be better for us in the long term if he played a higher standard of football next season?

No. He wont be going anywhere.

As for loaning players out to higher divisions. Its a hit or miss thing.

Look at young Kyle McAusland. Played most of the season at Ayr last year in Div 2. Apparently he has looked very good in pre season.

But then again, Kane Hemmings went on loan to Cowdenbeath and did well. Came back and still didnt look up to it.

"Would he be better for us in the long term if he played a higher standard of football next season?"

No

Steven Naismith, very important player for us in recent years
He was clobbered in the SPL.....twice!

Whats the point in loanign a player out coz your feart he might get crocked in the league your playing in...makes no sense.

He could go out on loan and get clobbered just as easily.

and incase you forgot, we are a scottish football team, and will be playing scottish football for years to come......its in scotland that he needs to be able to handle himself, and toughen up to play against the clobberes that exist in our leagues from the 3rd division right up to the SPL

also, to be frank, who's to say he could actually cut it at a higher level, we'd be best finding that out ourselves, when we get there

to be fair Naismith done his own knee the last time.

I can see the point the OP is trying to make though if he could go out and play at SPL level then surely that could benefit him?

I would suggest though that the facilities he has available at rangers for training would be far better than any other club in Scotland.

Personally i think he is better where he is gradually stepping up the leagues should be a nice learning curve for him

I just dont see the point at all myself.

Did we farm out Barry Ferguson to the Premier League to get him experience for Europe coz we knew we'd be competing in it??

Same logic applies for me, whats the point in farming a guy out to get experience at a higher level when he can be an integral part of our current team, get first team experience while playing for us, progress his career with us, and be ready for that higher level of football when we get there that way, and we reap the rewards of havig a good player with us all the way also.

Just makes absolutely no sense to me at all that.

If he wasnt getting a game then yes, but he will.

Sending him out on loan could send out all the wrong signals to the young lad, ie he needs to imorve etc etc.

Keep him here, play him every week, show hm we have faith in him, his confidence will only grow and grow, as will his ability

i was remembering the ICT and Dundee Utd cup games last year. The midfield were so far off the pace it was not real.

I dont know if these boys will learn much playing in the 2nd division, other than getting used to being a rangers player and the pressure that brings. which is a big thing too.

ICT game
Midfield was pretty much Hutton, Black, McLeod and McCulloch

Dundee Utd game
Midfield was pretty much Hutton, Black, Templeton and Little

Hutton is mince, he played in the engine room in both games
Black is supposed to be an SPL players, if he looked off the pace, thats down to him.
McCulloch is getting on a bit, but again, should be able to cut it in one off games you would think.
No reason why Templeton shouldnt be testing SPL defences
Little is a striker, not a midfielder or a wide player, but keeps getting played there

Think all this has more to do with why we were so bad in midfield agasint these sides more than Mcleod not having experience and needing farmed out to play at a higher level more regularly

St3vie

I've read interviews with Ally over the summer that he sees Little as a wide man who can score goals.

This worrys me.

I'd rather he plays as a striker or not at all.

Going by pre season, it loos like we will playing something like a 4-1-3-2 formation this season. So I suspect the midfield will be something like -

Defensive Mid - McCulloch/Black/Hutton/Peralta
Left Mid - Law/Smith/Wallace
Centre Mid - McLeod/Templeton/Shiels
Right Mid - Little/Templeton

Too many options in my opinion when you also consider Robbie Crawford and Barrie McKay should be getting into the squad.

No chance he's our best player so we should keep him and allow him to develop at his own pace. He played well last year for one so young, and I expect better from him this year.