BACK IN THE GAME
Ex-Rangers star who was forced to retire aged just 28 lands new Ibrox job nine years after leaving
He's revealed what his unique experiences can bring to the club
RANGERS have welcomed back one of the brightest talents they brought through their youth academy into the club.
He was cruelly forced to retire due to injury aged just 28, ten years after he had broken into the Ibrox first team as an 18-year-old.
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His playing career also included stints with Brentford, Wigan Athletic and Plymouth Argyle down south but eventually a series of fitness issues led to him calling it a day in September 2022.
Lewis Macleod is now back at Rangers nine years after leaving, having rejoined as a youth academy coach.
The former midfielder, who was previously working as a PT, first came to Ibrox as a ten-year-old and made his debut in July 2012 under Ally McCoist in the old Third Division after administration.
He's previously never hid his desire to return - but perhaps thought it would be as a player, not a coach.
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“It feels really good to be back," Macleod told the Rangers website.
“You obviously need to change your mindset from being a player to a coach but from the moment I came back through the door everyone has welcomed me.
“I’m really enjoying this side of football.
“I’m part-time with the 14s, we train three times a week and have a game at the weekend - usually on a Sunday.
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“I am focused on that age group but if I am needed elsewhere I am happy to help out and I’m enjoying every minute of it.
“The standards are high around the place and the facilities are great.
“I’ve come back and it’s great to see a few old faces. There is still a core group of people who were here years ago."
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Macleod was highly rated during his time at Ibrox and was a regular in Scotland youth international squads at various age groups - and was even called up to the senior setup for a double header against Ireland and England in 2014, making the matchday squad for the latter.
Injury issues persisted throughout his professional career, the first coming in January 2013 when he picked up a knee problem that sidelined him for four months.
He had issues the season after too and a hamstring injury sustained towards the end of his Gers career would continue to affect him even after he made a £850,000 move to Brentford.
After years of struggling to remain healthy and he underwent surgery during the 2021 off-season on the knee problem that had limited him to just 15 appearances with Plymouth.
But he was unable to find a new pro club and called time on his career a year later.
Now coaching has given him a way to stay involved in football.
He said: “I wasn’t expecting to retire as early as I did but I was always interested in coaching.
“To retire because of injury at 28 is obviously difficult but on the other side it is good to get into coaching so quickly.
“Hopefully this will stand me in good stead for years to come.
“I’m a Rangers Academy graduate, I started here when I was 10-years-old and managed to break into the first-team so if I can pass on the knowledge from my years here I will gladly do so.
“I really enjoying being on the pitch and coaching."
Macleod revealed his return to the Rangers Training Centre is like coming back for your first day at school.
One of the most recent graduates is Ross McCausland and he believes the 20-year-old has what it takes to make himself a Rangers great.
“When I first came in, it was almost like your first day at school but the more I do it the more I realise how much I enjoy it.
“I’ve heard this from people in the past, you do definitely get the bug for coaching.
“I’m starting from scratch as I’m just beginning as a coach but I’m learning new things and that’s the good thing about being at Rangers.
“The coaches here are top class and every day you come in you learn new things.
“Zeb (Jacobs) and all the coaches have a real vision for the way they want the youth set up to go.
“I think it’s a good thing we have ex-Rangers players as part of the coaching staff.
“It’s good to have a mix that includes people who have played here and know what it’s about. It’s a good dynamic.
“We can pass on our experiences to the young players and I am learning here every day too.
“It was 2015 when I left and I had to work hard to get the opportunity to go round to the first-team side of the building.
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“That’s what I say to the kids nowadays. It’s probably more difficult than when I broke through.
“You have to be at the top of your game if you want to play for the first-team because the standard is excellent.
“You have to have something about you to make an impact, whether that’s ability, mindset or attitude. You really have to go round and make an impact.
“There are a lot of high potential players in the youth team and it’s always really good to see young players breaking through.
“Ross McCausland has done so well and it’s good for the young players to see what he has been able to do in the first-team.
“He doesn’t look out of place and is thriving. It gives the young players something to aim for and try to emulate what he is doing."
Lewis Macleod on Ross McCausland
In terms of what he can pass on to the players of tomorrow, Macleod pointed to his experience as a first team regular for three seasons as his main plus point.
“I look back on my playing career here with a lot of joy," he said.
“I grew up a Rangers fan so playing at Ibrox in front of that crowd really is something to cherish.
“In a perfect world it would have been at a different time. It was the right job at the wrong time but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“We were still playing in front of 50,000 at Ibrox and the demands and expectations from the fans were the exact same.
“That’s what I have in common with any of the young guys coming through now.
“The first season I played was maybe a bit difficult as players were thrust into the first-team with zero experience of playing for Rangers.
“We had Jig, Lee Wallace and other experienced pros who had been about the leagues and knew what was expected but I’m sure it was difficult for those players as well at times, playing alongside younger guys like myself that didn’t have that experience.
“I still had good times here though and that’s what every kid wants to do when they come through the youth set up and become a professional footballer with Rangers.
“Hopefully now that I’m in here, I can help as many boys as possible do just that.
“You never expect to retire early but at the same time I had a lot of injuries and it was in the back of my mind.
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“That’s in the past now and I’m just looking forward and focusing on coaching.
“Hopefully I can make as much of an impact as I can."
Upon leaving Rangers, Macleod joined Brentford who at that time were rising through the Football League in England and leading the way in analytics.
He hopes to put the experience of that environment to use here, with Rangers having said publicly that the club in general is looking to become more analytics-driven.
Macleod also said he's picked up valuable knowledge from Wigan and Plymouth in the Championship and League One.
“I’ve had different experiences at different clubs and it was good to see how they operate," he said.
“At Brentford it was very analytical and they got promotion to the English Premiership.
“The way the club was run was fantastic and the guys they have in do a brilliant job.
“I then moved to Wigan and Plymouth and they were completely different but every place I have been has been a good learning experience and I can pass that knowledge on to the young players here.
I’ll knuckle down and try to learn as much as possible about coaching and pass on my experiences to the young boys.
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“You learn here every day and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.
“I’m going to enjoy every minute and see where it takes me.”
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