‘Off the pace’: Manager admits £6.5m Liverpool loanee isn’t ready to play for his side yet

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Liverpool youngster Calvin Ramsay isn’t yet ready to make his debut for Preston North End.

Ramsay is yet to feature for Preston having joined in the summer on a season-long loan. As it was last year, injury has been the 20-year-old’s biggest enemy.

But, speaking to the Lancashire Evening Post, North End manager Ryan Lowe has suggested that Ramsay isn’t far off a return.

“I’m pleased for Calvin really. It has been a tough time for him hasn’t it?” Lowe says. “He came to us in pre-season, on loan, and he wasn’t quite right. He then had to go back and reset his program for his knee.

“He’s got a big smile on his face and he loves being here. We want him getting competitive football for as long as he’s here. He’s a good player. We’ve got to get him up to speed, don’t get me wrong, but it’s nice to have him around and if you ask him I’m sure he’d say the same thing.”

Ramsay not ready yet

Despite Ramsay nearing a return and seemingly feeling happy and settled at Preston, Lowe also admitted that the youngster is ‘off the pace’ for now.

“He’s a little bit off the pace, I must say, until we get him up to speed,” he says. “But, once we get him up to speed he’s a very good player. Of course he will (be a threat).

“He will be coached into what we want, but you don’t play for Liverpool or get bought by Liverpool if you’re not any good in that department. You only have to look at the way Liverpool’s full backs play, so if he can do anywhere near that – like Trent (Alexander-Arnold) does – then he will be good for us, of course.”

Lowe’s last point is one that is worth remembering for Liverpool supporters. Although he hasn’t been spotted much since arriving at Anfield in a £6.5m deal last summer, Ramsay was bought for a reason.

There reportedly remains hope from Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool coaches that the Scotland international can be a long-term right-back for them.

If he’s to do that, then you’d imagine it’s imperative that Ramsay has a good rest of the season at Preston.

With the likes of Conor Bradley waiting in the wings, one more bad or ineffective season could spell danger for Ramsay at Liverpool.

That might seem unfair, but that’s unfortunately the nature of the beast at this level.

Calvin will know that, so it’s absolutely key that he gets up to speed as best he can as quick as he can. You can do it, Cal!