Ross McCrorie admits Pedro Caixinha gave him confidence to go and play for Rangers when he described him as Scotland's future.
The Portuguese doesn't have many success stories from his time in Glasgow but he did give McCrorie his debut as a 19-year-old in a Betfred Cup game against Partick Thistle shortly before he was axed as Ibrox boss.
Immediately after the game, Caixinha said: " Ross McCrorie is going to be one of the best centre halves in history, not just for this club but for this country."
The versatile youngster has made most of his appearances for Rangers in midfield and has been playing right-back for Portsmouth, meaning he hasn't played at centre-back very often.
It's unlikely he will at all under Steven Gerrard after the current Rangers boss criticised Caixinha - and Graeme Murty - for playing him there and 'potentially ruining his career'.
But McCrorie was a fan of Caixinha's management and reckons without him he might not have been playing for Rangers at all.
Speaking on the Football Daft podcast with Grado, Chris Toal and Stephen Purdon, McCrorie said: "He (Caixinha) came out and said that straight after my debut. Aye I did really. It was a good pressure though I felt, it wasn’t one of those that made you crumble or that, it gave you confidence.
"When you’re playing with Rangers you’ve got pressure every week.
"He was the one that gave me my chance. I’m not going to lie, Caixinha was the first manager that believed in me to come into the first team. The previous one, Mark Warburton, I was kinda young at the time but Caixinha took a liking to me and he came out at the start of the season in the press and said I’d be included in the first team as well.
"He was the one who believed in me and gave me a chance and it’s just unfortunate the way it worked out and never lasted long."
Ibrox supporters have taken to McCrorie as one of their own and were disappointed when he was loaned out to Portsmouth at the start of the season.
He's even got his own song, an adaption of Oasis hit Morning Glory.
And the 22-year-old admits he was shocked when he heard fans singing but loves it when they do.
He added: "It’s brilliant. The first time they ever sang it, I had to look twice to hear it. It’s a dream come true."
