Steve Davis: Give Kyle Lafferty 90 minutes and he'll prove his worth

Nov 9 2008

KYLE LAFFERTY was handed two paltry minutes of precious SPL time on Wednesday night to make his mark on Scottish football.

But pal Steve Davis reckons Rangers fans won't see the best of him until he starts piling up 90 at a time every week.

The Northern Ireland star is champing at the bit to make an impact after injury killed his kick-off to the season stone dead after just two starts.

Now he's having to settle for the kind of dugout duty he saw in the midweek draw against Dundee United.

It was his fourth SPL appearance from the bench since the middle of August taking him to just 45 minutes-worth of action.

But Davis insists it won't be long before frustrated followers see why boss Walter Smith shelled out s3.5m for the 21-year-old from Burnley.

His fellow countryman said: "Kyle's here for the long term.

He signed a lengthy deal for a large sum of money and he's still a young guy.

"Some people might put pressure on his shoulders.

"But he's still learning the game and he's improved throughout the time I've known him with Northern Ireland.

"It will take him some time to settle in and when he does find his feet, he's going to be an important player for Rangers over the next few years.

"The manager is not protecting him so much.

"The reason he's not been playing was because of the injury he picked up in pre-season, then finding it hard to break into a team doing well.

"However, he's biding his time and has been coming on in matches and making an impact."

Davis has no doubts where that impact will eventually come on the park-up front.

His six goals in 17 caps are testimony to that firepower and Davis said: "Any time we've played together with Northern Ireland he's led the attack well with David Healy.

"Walter has even said he sees Kyle playing there in his set-up, but he's kind of similar to me in that he's versatile and can play elsewhere.

"He's maybe been a bit frustrated - you want to make a good impression at a new club.

"But when he has come on he's scored a couple so in that respect he is doing fine."

Davis himself added his second SPL goal of the season for Gers in midweek - a sweet strike that prompted stick from Arabs mate Warren Feeney that he never does the same for their country.

And the more he does all over the pitch, themore chance he has of keeping a jersey with the competition in midfield fierce .

Despite being a central midfielder, he started right on Wednesday, ended up left, and admits he'll go wherever Smith tells him to stay in the team.

He said: "Everyone's fighting for a place and you have to perform week in week out.

"I don't mind being seen as the versatile guy. I knew when I signed what the manager's plans were for me.

"I was happy to play out on the right before I was switched to the left side.

"It's always good to be a little bit adaptable and be able to play different positions.

"No-one's protected, though, no player is 100 per cent guaranteed a place.

"This is as good a midfield as I've ever been part of. There's a good balance, we're keeping good possession and creating chances."

The big question that has yet to be answered is whether playmakers Pedro Mendes and Barry Ferguson can mix in the middle of the park when they are finally allowed to start together.

But Davis countered: "Good players like them can play together, no matter what.

"They're versatile, they can both do both sides of the job, going forward and doing the defensive side of things too.

"It is something people are making too much of - they're both quality performers.

"And don't forget Kevin Thomson as well. He's done well since the start of the season."