Ally McCoist invites Australian keeper Ryan for training stint at Rangers

By CRAIG FORBES and IAIN COLLIN
Published on 07/01/2013 00:00

Rangers have invited Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Mat Ryan to train with them, according to the Australian club. However, because the Ibrox club are under a transfer embargo following their well-documented financial problems, Ryan is bidding to earn a move to Glasgow in September when the embargo is due to end.

Ryan is due in Glasgow today to spend ten days training with the Irn-Bru Third Division club. The 20-year-old, who has played for Australia in East Asian Cup qualifying games, is set to link up with Rangers after Mariners football manager Lawrie McKinna arranged the move with Rangers manager Ally McCoist.

“I was in Scotland over Christmas and spoke with Ally McCoist about Mathew Ryan,” said McKinna. “It is a credit to Mat and to our club that Ally was well aware of Mat’s ability and potential and immediately offered for him to join Rangers for a training spell.

“Mat is eager to take up the opportunity and we are sure he will learn a lot from the experience.”

Ryan has three months remaining on his current contract with Central Coast.

Meanwhile, Rangers youngster Kane Hemmings acknowledges being farmed out on loan from a team in the Third Division to one in the First is “weird”, but the striker aims to make the most of his temporary switch to Cowdenbeath.

The 20-year-old was sidelined for the best part of a year, having undergone his fourth bout of knee surgery in the summer, but he made his first competitive outing since March in Cowdenbeath’s 1-1 draw with Morton on Saturday. He is due to remain at Central Park until the end of the month and is optimistic a few goals in the First Division will prove to McCoist that he is worth a regular start with Rangers..

He said: “I’m just here to try and play well for Cowdenbeath and hopefully score some goals. I’ve thought about the fact I’ve gone on loan to a team in a higher division and it’s a bit weird, but it’s good to go out and get experience wherever you’re going to get it, really.

“If I can score goals in the First Division then I don’t see any reason why I can’t score goals in the Third or the Second. A lot of my mates were texting me and saying, ‘you’ve gone up the divisions’, but it’s just down to the stature of Rangers and I’m pleased to go anywhere to play football.”