Rangers: Jon Daly pleads for Boyd partnership

RANGERS striker Jon Daly has pleaded for the chance to form an Ibrox alliance with strike rival Kris Boyd.
Rangers striker Jon Daly previews his side's Scottish Championship clash against Hibernian. Picture: SNSRangers striker Jon Daly previews his side's Scottish Championship clash against Hibernian. Picture: SNS
Rangers striker Jon Daly previews his side's Scottish Championship clash against Hibernian. Picture: SNS

Daly is just returning from a knee injury which robbed him off the his pre-season preparations and the first six weeks of the new campaign.

But Boyd - who returned to the Glasgow giants in the summer - is struggling to recreate the goalscoring magic of his first Ibrox spell.

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The former Scotland striker had netted five cup goals so far but has yet to break his duck.

His barren spell now stretches to five games and the 31-year-old admits he is fears for his place in Ally McCoist’s line-up.

But Daly believes he and Boyd could actually form a deadly partnership - despite the fact the two frontmen are roughly similar in style.

The Irishman - who has made four substitute appearances in the last fortnight but has yet to start a game this term - said: “I’d like to think I could play with most strikers. I don’t see why me and Boydy couldn’t work.

“It might take a game or two to get used to each other’s game but I think we would link up quite well.”

Boyd admitted his dry patch was affecting his confidence but Daly backed the former Kilmarnock, Middlesbrough and Portland Timbers poacher to rediscover his lethal touch.

“Boydy’s record speaks for itself,” said Daly. “If he wasn’t getting chances, that’s when you would start to worry.

“As a striker, you always want to be scoring goals but he’s getting chances and once one goes in, I’m sure he will get a bucket load.

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“He’s a fantastic finisher and he will kick on once he gets that first (league) goal.”

Boyd was not the only returning Ranger to sign on during the summer.

Kenny Miller clinched his third Light Blues switch after quitting MLS outfit Vancouver Whitecaps in May.

There is further competition for places from Nicky Clark and Dean Shiels but Daly believes all five frontmen can play their part for the Scottish League One champions.

“There has been some new strikes brought into the club and so it’s obviously a challenge for me to try to get back into the team.

“Pre-season would have been the ideal time to make my mark but unfortunately I got injured and now I’m playing catch-up.

“I’m feeling fit now and I’m being careful with my recovery. I’ve been training one day then spending the next in the gym.

“But it is a long season and I’m a different type of striker to the rest of the boys so the manager now has a few options.

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“He also has Kenny, Nicky and Deano, so he is a bit spoiled for options.”

Clark has a shoulder injury which will rule him out of Monday’s visit of Hibernian, while Miller is making steady recovery from a calf tear.

Daly is likely to provide attacking cover once more but he has already made it clear to McCoist that he will be happy to reacquaint himself with the defensive positions he was known to occupy during his Dundee United days.

“I would play anywhere,” said the 31-year-old. “I just want to play and if the manager felt he needed there then I would love to play at the back.

“I just have to bide my time and hopefully I’ll get back involved soon, either in attack or in defence.”