Ryan Jack believes Lawrence Shankland will be the standard-bearer at Rangers and trigger a vital mentality shift at the club. The former Ibrox midfielder insists his old Scotland and Aberdeen sidekick is a crucial building block for better days ahead at Ibrox as new boss Derek McInnes aims to revive the fortunes of a side which slumped to a third-place Premiership finish last season.
Shankland's Impact at Rangers
Jack is convinced Shankland's move from Hearts this summer to his boyhood heroes will bring an instant impact to the demands required at Rangers. He said: “I look back at my time at Rangers and know that I gave everything I could to try to help the club. It’s definitely that mentality of player the club are needing. It’s people who understand the club – Lawrence is the prime example of that. He’s the type of person who will know exactly what standards are required to play for a club as unique as Rangers.”
Jack added: “He will also know what his own standards need to be. I played with Lawrence and know him well. I was at Aberdeen when he was a young boy and we both played in Scotland squads together so I’ve watched his progression and seen how he has developed as a striker and how he has honed himself into a top player. So many different aspects of his play have improved season on season and you can see the rewards he is getting for all of that hard work. He’s a guy who trains well every single day, he sets a standard and that rubs off on his team-mates. He’s a player who makes sure he takes those standards into his match performances and that’s where it really matters.”
A Match Made in Heaven
Jack has watched Shankland mature into an on-field leader and pedigree finisher. And he admits the 30-year-old’s love for the club will make this move a match made in heaven. He said: “Lawrence has become a special type of player, he’s someone players will look up to and he also supported Rangers as a young boy so he has that connection and affection for the club. I’m not saying that kind of connection is everything you need but every club needs enough of those type of characters to be successful. It’s a huge ingredient that is required at a club as big as Rangers and at the moment they are a team in need of boys like Lawrence, who bring a mix of both an identification of the needs of the team and an ability to put those needs ahead of themselves.”
Jack reflected on his own time at Rangers: “When I was at Rangers I shared a changing room with the likes of Allan McGregor, Steven Davis, Jermaine Defoe and Scotty Arfield so we had a core of players who had a level of experience at an older age which was hugely beneficial. That mix is important and that is the key for Rangers as they plan for next season.”
McInnes' Revival Plans
As McInnes looks to address the issues of an underperforming squad, Jack is adamant an immediate improvement on overall standards is the priority with Shankland leading the way. He said: “Finishing third last season is clearly not acceptable. The fans and the people running the club will know this isn’t anywhere near where the club should be. There’s a lot of work to be done and now that Derek is in as manager there is a bit of certainty but it’s a massive summer ahead for the club, manager and the players. Lawrence has knowledge and experience and that’s going to be a massive asset for Rangers.”
