Kane ready for Cup call
Friday, 25th Nov 2022KRH: “I’m just hoping to get minutes in, prove myself again and show what I can do.”
Mancunian Kane Ritchie-Hosler left Manchester City, the club all his family supports, to sign for Rangers in July 2019. He was only sixteen but he chose to come to Scotland despite offers down south. Kane subsequently had a loan spell at Clyde in 2021 and he was pleased to go out on loan to Dunfermline on 30th September this year. He explained:-
“It was the last day and I just got pulled into the office at Rangers and they told me about Dunfermline wanting me. I was happy to get a move to a club like this with its stadium and the fans. I didn’t want to turn it down.”
Since being released by Manchester City, Kane has enjoyed life at Rangers working under coaches like Steven Thomson, David McCallum and Brian Gilmour:-
“A few clubs down south were coming in for me and I was just about to go somewhere when Rangers came in at the last minute. I thought that I had to take a look up there and see what it was like. I knew how big the club was anyway but then I got reality power - how big it really is. When I saw everything, I thought this would be a great challenge to come up here and try something different.”
Peterhead has featured highly in Kane’s time in senior football. Two of his six appearances for Clyde were in League One against the Blue Toon. His Dunfermline debut was as a sub in the league match at home to Peterhead on 1st October and his third Pars appearance was against the same club at the Balmoor Stadium last Saturday. He doesn’t mind who the opposition is however just as long as he is getting game time:-
“Any chance I am able to get on, I am trying to prove myself. I just need to get under the gaffer’s eye, I enjoyed it and hopefully can start to get more appearances.”
Kane feels that the League One standard is good adding “obviously it’s very fast and prepares me well. You just want more tests like that.”
The manager watched him impress in the reserves 2-0 win on Tuesday afternoon and Kane added:-
“It was a good game against Hibs, I enjoyed it apart from getting fouled a couple of times. It was good to get 90 into the legs and it was a good result as well. I’m not cup tied so I can play on Saturday, I’m looking forward to that. I’m just hoping to get minutes in, prove myself again and show what I can do.”
Watching out for what Kane can do is not restricted to just the Dunfermline management team. A regular to watch Kane is Rangers’ loans manager, Billy Kirkwood. Kane also shows face at Rangers when he has days off or when he feels that he needs to do a little extra. Although he has trained under managers at Rangers, changes there have not impacted him:-
“I am always keeping in touch with them and I am just looking forward to keep progressing. I have been around them, trained with them when I have been there and I will just have to see what happens with the next manager. I will just have to prove myself if I’m back there.”
For the meantime, however, his focus is on Dunfermline and East End Park where the reception that he has received all round has been first class:-
“They are great. Ever since the first day I stepped in everyone has been so welcoming - all the staff, it’s been great honestly.”
The twenty year old described where he can play declaring a preference for central midfield:-
“I like playing inside in midfield but I like playing winger as well. I think midfield is a good position for me, either eight or ten. Last season I sometimes ended up playing right back, I have played in a few different positions which is good for me.”
Clearly not worried which role he is asked to play in Kane would dearly love to make his starting debut for Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup on Saturday:-
“I have played Forfar at their ground, I don’t know them very well but it is going to be a tough test. Despite their form it is going to be a tough game but we will go into it trying to play our best football. We have just got to be prepared and ready for a big game.”
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