Colin Hendry and David Weir are the only two Rangers defenders to have nailed down regular Scotland starts in the last 25 years.
Former Scotland captain Hendry firmly believes John Souttar is about to join them.
Even if the 25-year-old, who will soon meet his new Ibrox team-mates for pre-season training after joining on a pre-contract from Hearts, doesn’t feature against Armenia, Hendry is convinced he has all the attributes to become a first choice for club and country over the next few years.
The former Jambos centre-back has overcome horrendous injury problems to earn his move to Gers and to force his way back into Steve Clarke’s plans and Hendry believes the mental strength required to do that, allied to his physical prowess and ability, can make him the perfect package.
And although he may have been brought in as a replacement for Connor Goldson, who subsequently decided to stay, Hendry sees no reason why both can’t play together and reckons that if boss Gio van Bronckhorst decides to go to a back three that would be even better for Souttar.
“I like him,” said the former Ibrox icon who won the Treble under Dick Advocaat in 1999. “If anything, Souttar reminds me a wee bit of Alan McLaren. Maybe not in style of play, but from the fact that he came from Hearts as well and showed real resilience to overcome injury problems.
“John has done that and deserved real credit because he must have been in some dark places at times.
“He looks like a player who can fit into the Rangers side and be a success.
“I think it’s clear he signed because the feeling was that Connor Goldson would be leaving and Souttar would be his replacement.
“But now Rangers have got both of them because Goldson signed a new contract and that’s brilliant news for the club.
“I’m sure they can play together, no problem, and Rangers will have a number of options at the back now because Calvin Bassey has come from nowhere to looking like a top, top player and can play left-back or left centre-back.
“Bassey might well be sold, of course, and Rangers would get big money for him because he is perfect for the English Premier League in terms of pace, power and physicality.
“Also, you look at his performance in the Europa League Final and clubs know that he’ll have the mentality to handle big occasions.
“But if he stays, Gio would have the option of playing Souttar-Goldson and Bassey or Filip Helander as a back three and that, of course, would be ideal for Souttar because that’s the system Hearts and Scotland have been using.
“But if the manager sticks to the back four, that won’t be an issue. Good players adapt.
“I played a flat back four with Manchester City, Bolton, Blackburn and Rangers and then switched to a back three with Scotland.
“I didn’t find that a problem and I’m sure if John has been used to playing in a three with Hearts and Scotland, he will adapt to a four with Rangers.”
Hendry reckons Souttar’s biggest issue will be coming to terms with the size of the club he is joining and expectations that accompany that. And he is adamant that even though the new boy has played all his life in Scotland, he won’t realise it until he pulls on the jersey for the first time.
The 56-year-old added: “Getting Souttar on a pre-contract for no fee was a great bit of business. In my day, centre-backs came to their peak between about 28-32 but nowadays it’s happening when they’re younger and Rangers will be getting some of the best years of his career.
“On the pitch, the biggest difference he’ll find is that suddenly he is playing for a team that will dominate the ball in 80 per cent of the matches they play, certainly domestically, and in that case he won’t have to be over-exerted at the back.
“But look, he has shown he can play. Good with the ball at his feet, dominant in the air and a great presence.
“He’ll be fine and being part of a successful Rangers team will enhance his Scotland prospects as well.
“It will take him a while to get used to the size of the club he has joined, though.
“It really is a special club, as John Souttar is about to find out.”
