KEVIN THOMSON isn’t at Rangers to clinch medals at youth level. But the Light Blues coach knows how important a winning mentality is for what he hopes are the next generation of Ibrox stars.
Rangers have lifted the Reserve League, Scottish FA Youth Cup, Under-18s League and Al Kass Cup in an encouraging campaign for their kids across the levels.
For Under-18s coach Thomson, there is one prize that means more than all the rest, however.
Thomson said: “The main thing for me is player progression and we want to present the manager with as many players that he feels are good enough to make his squad and put pressure on the boys that are already in there.
“That is the ultimate goal for me and the only reason I want to be part of it. It is irrelevant for me to be winning the 18s League or a Cup, but I am delighted for the boys and it is brilliant for the boys because they are the only medals they can win at that time.
“The DNA of this club is to win football games. So it is about development, but the winning side is really important as an individual. They need to want to win, which they do.
READ MORE: Kevin Thomson on learning from Steven Gerrard, being back at Rangers and his coaching aspirations
“The fact that we have had, regularly, boys from the 18s and the Reserves going round and training with the first team, and by all accounts the manager being impressed by a number of those boys, that is good progression and a good summary of where we are at.
“Our kids want to win and that is great because, ultimately, at this club you need to win.
“At 15s or 18s it is not important because your head is not on the block in a results driven business.
“But, at the same time, you want a player that has got a never say die attitude, that is really ruthless and aggressive in terms of trying to improve themselves and win.”
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