Manager brands performance 'embarrassing' as Rangers starlet Bailey Rice gets rollicking

03/26/2025 03:00 PM

The international break allows players to compete at the highest level and for Rangers it has the added benefit of elevating the profile of those selected.

Vaclav Cerny scored a screamer for Czechia with Nicolas Raskin the man of the match for Belgium on his first start.

It wasn't a good break for Nedim Bajrami who was benched against Andorra, with another Rangers squad member coming in for criticism.

Bailey Rice was one of 11 Rangers players on international duty, but he will be returning to Auchenhowie with his ears burning.

Scotland Under-21 manager Scott Gemmel wasn't happy with his team after seeing them lose 6-1 to Iceland with Rice in the heart of the engine room.

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Bailey Rice in the firing line after Scotland get battered

In what seems like a job for life, Gemmel has rarely provided any evidence that he is the right man to be trusted with the development of Scotland's best youngsters.

A defensive style of play and decisions like leaving billy gilmour rangersnews.uk and Nathan Patterson on the bench when they were playing senior football for Chelsea and Rangers respectively have seen him come under constant questioning.

After the latest result that should see his future addressed by those in the SFA, Gemmel took aim, at the players:

“It was a really embarrassing scoreline and it’s disappointing to end the camp like this," said Gemmel.

"The players need to quickly get up to speed with the level because you could see a clear gap between the teams.

"There are a lot of new players in the squad and we are trying to assess them and it’s fair to say not many did well today, although Finlay Pollock was really good and has taken a step in the right direction in very difficult circumstances. It was 100 per cent not a red card and it was a penalty to Scotland.

“You have to remember there’s not a lot of depth when it comes to young players in Scotland – these are the best young players in the country, although there are a few who are not here. These are the players we have to work with and we intend to help them."

Not a lot of self reflection from Gemmel who decided instead to throw a group of teenagers under the bus, including Rice.

What should Rangers do with Bailey Rice?

Leon King was in a similar position to the one that Rice finds himself in now.

Too good for academy football, but not good enough to start regular games for Rangers.

Alex Lowry was another who fell into this category with a different approach taken for the now departed playmaker.

King was kept as a back up because of his versatility whereas Lowry impressed on loan at Hearts initially, only to fall out of favour when Steven Naismith changed formation.

King has now missed three seasons worth of games sitting on the bench or in the stands and will be appreciative of the chance to get out and play away from the spot-light of Rangers.

For Rice, talent along is not enough, various Rangers managers have touched on how good a player he could be.

If Rice isn't going to get serious game time and enough starts to allow him to progress, he has to go out on loan.

Barry Ferguson has praised Rice, but as he learned the hard way against Iceland, he needs to do more if he is to become a regular in Rangers' midfield.