Rangers 3 - 1 Falkirk: Fleck the blue-eyed boy for Rangers

Published on Sunday 18 January 2009 21:52

WHILE David Weir did not exactly experience a case of déjà vu at the weekend, the veteran defender believes he may once again have been a first-hand witness to the launch of a teenage forward's prodigious career.

Back in 2002, Weir was a team-mate of Wayne Rooney at Everton when the wunderkind of English football announced his arrival on the Premiership stage in spectacular fashion.

There was nothing quite so dramatic at Ibrox on Saturday when John Fleck made his first starting appearance for Rangers, but the 17-year-old's excellent performance in a crucial SPL victory for the title challengers suggested he is now ready to fulfil the great expectations his club have of him.

Since his return to Rangers two years ago, manager Walter Smith has identified Fleck as a potential first-team regular. Injury has interrupted his progress, but his contribution in what has been a problematic position on the wide left of Smith's midfield was a declaration from the nephew of former Rangers and Scotland striker Robert Fleck that he now merits a sustained run in the top side.

"He was fantastic," said Weir. "You can't really praise him highly enough. He came in and looked the part. He was probably the best player on the park and you have to give him great credit for that.

"It's a great start for him and we all want him to go on from that and be a great player for Rangers.

"I don't think there is any comparison to Wayne Rooney, it wouldn't be fair to John to do that. But everyone saw today what he is capable of and that's what we should be talking about.

"To compare him to someone like Wayne is not fair, because Wayne is on a different planet. He has been there and done it, while John is just starting out. There are similarities but there is a long way to go."

Fleck, who had made four substitute appearances prior to Saturday, was promoted by Smith at the end of a week which had seen the Rangers Supporters Trust cite a poor record in youth development as one of the reasons for the launch of their protest campaign.

If that placed the youngster under any additional pressure, it didn't show. In addition to an excellent first touch, intelligent movement and physical strength, he displayed a level of maturity and composure beyond his tender years.

"It perhaps wasn't the easiest situation to bring him in this week, but I don't think that side of things will ever be a problem to him," added Weir.

"You can tell the kind of lad he is. We don't want to build him up too much but he is the kind of lad who isn't affected by anything. His ability speaks for itself, so he has the biggest chance in the world. We're all going to try and help him make the most of it.

"John is respectful of playing for the first team and is a lovely lad. He's very confident but quiet with it. He's got a great chance in the game and we just don't want to build him up too much too soon and expect him to pull up trees. But he definitely has the capabilities to be a bit special.

"You can form an opinion of young players, although it's not always right. John is certainly ticking all the boxes and hopefully it will come to fruition for him. It's very early, but so far so good."

On a day when there was no great evidence of the 'We Deserve Better' campaign which provoked such a stinging reaction from both Smith and Rangers chairman Sir David Murray, the only threat of mutiny from the home support came when Falkirk capped a bright start to the match by taking a 12th-minute lead.

Steve Lovell's neat left-foot finish, after an excellent passage of passing football, gave John Hughes' side the platform to frustrate Rangers. With Steven Pressley making a fine debut at the heart of a five-man defence, they looked capable of comfortably subduing their hosts.

But as Fleck's trickery and pace gradually helped Rangers gain more territorial control, referee Willie Collum's contentious award of a penalty on the stroke of half-time allowed Kris Boyd to equalise.

The striker, unsuccessful with an earlier claim when he went down under a challenge from Falkirk goalkeeper Robert Olejnik, earned the spot-kick with what appeared a dramatic tumble when jostling with Patrick Cregg.

Hughes felt Boyd had "conned" Collum and also felt the referee got two major decisions wrong in the second half when he sent Cregg off for a foul on Pedro Mendes in the 51st minute and dismissed Rangers defender Sasa Papac for halting Mark Stewart's counter-attack on the halfway line with 13 minutes remaining. Most observers agreed a booking would have sufficed in both incidents.

It was not until after they lost Papac that Rangers were able to take the lead their second-half pressure merited. Nacho Novo, on for the out of touch Kenny Miller, found space on the right to deliver a cross which Olejnik could only beat out into the path of Boyd, who stabbed home his 22nd goal of the season from close range.

Steven Davis sealed the points in stoppage time with a fine solo effort, but it was Boyd's influence which made the greatest impression on the Rangers fans whose chants of 'Boydy must stay' were as close as we got to witnessing an insurrection. The striker's future at the club will remain in doubt until the transfer window closes in a fortnight, but his peerless goalscoring prowess is beyond question.