Pundit Tam McManus has suggested that Adam Devine could be given a start by Rangers as their SPFL season resumes on Thursday night.
It comes amid a mini-crisis at Ibrox in the full-back positions for Michael Beale as he prepares for his first league game in charge of the Light Blues.
Ridvan Yilmaz was ruled out for ‘several weeks’ by former boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and although Borna Barisic’s Croatia were knocked out of the World Cup on Tuesday night, the third-place play-off means it will be a while yet before the defender returns.
Devine, who despite naturally being a right-back, played on the left in the Gers’ 3-0 friendly win over Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.
Now speaking to Ibrox News, McManus feels that the 19-year-old could well be thrown in against Hibs.
He said: “It was a great result against Leverkusen.
“I know it’s only a friendly, but it’s important to get off to a good start.
“Some of the changes to the team will have raised eyebrows with Devine coming in to play, so maybe he’ll get into the team [against Hibs].
“It’ll be a real opportunity for him.
“Barisic won’t be back for Thursday so it’ll be a chance for him to play at left-back.”
TIF Thoughts on Devine playing at left-back…
Will Michael Beale succeed at Rangers?Yes!
No!
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With only three senior appearances, throwing the Scotland U21 international into the thick of it won’t necessarily be something that Beale wants to do in his opening game.
The Glasgow native played at left-back against Spartans in the Scottish Challenge Cup back in October, but this will be a much sterner test.
On the bright side, Devine won’t have to come up against arguably Hibs’ best player in Martin Boyle, who is out for the rest of the season through injury, and we feel that the youngster will be given the nod having played the full 90 minutes in what could have been seen as his audition against Leverkusen.