I’ll be my very own man: Rangers mortgage winger Moore is discovering type now that he’s trusting his instincts

As he’s taken his first steps in the game, Mikey Moore has never been short on free advice.

Between coaches and team-mates at both Tottenham and Rangers, family, friends and fans, the teenager has grown accustomed to well-meaning pointers being whispered in his ear.

A few weeks back, as he contemplated how best to maximise his potential, he resolved to listen to once voice, in particular. His own.

It appears to have been a shrewd move. Having struggled to live up to his reputation in his early weeks in Scotland, Moore’s recently looked much more like the player Rangers supporters thought they’d be getting this season.

Reflecting on the reasons behind an uplift in form which began against today’s opponent Hibernian at Easter Road, the 18-year-old said: ‘It’s hard to stick it on one thing, but I think for me people were always saying stuff to me and I was thinking, ‘shut up, I’m going to change it myself’.

‘The manager’s given me confidence, but it’s down to me to go and perform on the pitch.

‘So, for me it was always going to change at some point. I believed in myself.

‘It’s starting to change now when I’m showing bits and hopefully the fans are seeing a bit more of what I do.

‘I think the Hibs game was the start of me getting a bit of a run in the team.

‘I showed bits in the game. I think that was the start of me getting a bit of rhythm and getting going.

‘It was a good game for me, but I think Hibs on Monday, I need to keep showing a lot more than what I did in that game and keep building on what I’ve done so far. I can do a lot more than what I’ve done.’

He’s already learned how to roll with the punches. Brought to Scotland under Russell Martin, Moore made his debut in the League Cup clash with Alloa with the cracks in the new-look side already visible.

He started at Falkirk in what was to prove to be Martin’s last game in charge and looked a long way from the highly rated England youth international who was expected to light up the Premiership.

Even after belatedly catching the eye that night at Easter Road after Danny Rohl took charge, he’s encountered more turmoil.

No sooner had he scored his first Rangers’ goal at Dens Park and he’d to come to terms with a spell on the sidelines after picking up a muscular injury while playing for his country.

‘Yeah, it was frustrating,’ he recalled. ‘I was fuming when it happened, when they told me how long it would be and to kind of brought me a bit down. It ended up being a bit less than what I thought it would be at first.

‘It came at a frustrating time as I was starting to feel good and I started to show a bit more.

‘But now I’m back in it. I need to build and do my very best myself to keep away from those injuries and do everything right off the pitch and on the pitch.’

There’s an impressive maturity for one who’s so still young. While Rohl has clearly been good for him, Moore feels he needs to take full responsibility for what he delivers once he crosses the line.

‘I’ve spoken to the manager a lot and he believes in me and he knows the sort of things I can do,’ the player added.

‘He’s given me that belief in myself which shouldn’t just come from somewhere else. It needs to come from me as well.

‘He’s given me that belief that I can go and be one of the main men and I can kind of help the team in a way with goals and assists and just my all-round performance as well.’

Rohl clearly sees Moore differently from his predecessor. In recent weeks, he’s been instructed to come in off the flanks and affect the game from infield.

‘I do enjoy being in the central role,’ he stated.

‘I think when I was playing a bit wider, I didn’t show enough, and I think people can say he’s not good enough out wide.

‘But I know that I can do it out wide as well. Centrally, I am very comfortable and I’ve played there all throughout my youth.

‘Wherever the manager wants to put me, whether it’s wide or centrally, I think in both areas of the pitch I can affect it.’

At Rugby Park nine days ago, he served up another example of his prodigious talent with a superb solo goal as Rohl’s men claimed a three-goal win.

After a tough opening to his time at Rangers, hearing the visiting support chant his name in the way they used to praise Michael Mols made for special evening.

‘That was the best moment I’ve had so far for the club and if I keep scoring hopefully I’ll keep hearing it. But that’s down to me,’ he said.

‘The more I hear it, the more it’ll be down to my performances and if I keep scoring goals, so we’ll see.

‘I know that he’s (Mols) an unbelievable player and the fans love him loads. I wasn’t sure at first, but the boys had to tell me who he was, so I’ve heard he was a legend of a player.’

There wasn’t a great deal for those supporters who travelled to Budapest in midweek to get too excited about.

Another loss in the Europa League to Ferencvaros left Rohl’s men with just one point from six matches.

If there’s something to be salvaged from this season, then it’s evidently going to have to come from domestic football.

Rangers haven’t exactly sparkled in the Premiership since the German came in as head coach, but seven games unbeaten have ensured they are still in contention.

‘Obviously, we’re disappointed about the Europa League and it’s not good enough for any of us really, not good enough for me either,’ Moore reflected.

‘But in the league, we need to keep winning games and we need to just keep picking up points because there’s an opportunity for us there.’

As things stand, whether there’s silverware in his pocket or not, he’ll be heading back to his parent club once the dust settles.

He does not, however, categorically rule out the possibility of returning.

‘I need to keep showing what I can do, and we’ll see what happens in the summer really,’ he said.