Scotland under-21 head coach Scot Gemmill isn't surprised by the way that young Rangers defender Ross McCrorie has handled his rapid ascent into the limelight at Ibrox.

McCrorie made his debut for the club back in September, and his since become a mainstay at club level while pushing for starts in Gemmill's side, and he is tipped to be handed a dark blue jersey for tonight's crucial European Championship qualifier against Ukraine at McDiarmid Park.

Gemmill admits he was concerned over whether McCrorie would get such an early chance of first-team football playing at a club the size of Rangers.

Read more: Ross McCrorie will always be grateful to Pedro Caixinha for giving him his big chance at Rangers​

But while he may have been shocked to see the 19-year-old thrust into the starting eleven so soon, he hasn't been taken aback at all by the way he has gone from strength to strength since his introduction.

“I’m lucky that I’ve worked with Ross from the younger age groups," said Gemmill. "That [his level-headedness] has always been apparent in his game when you speak to anyone who has worked with him at clubs or at the national youth teams.

"There has never been a question in that regard, but the question has always been will he get an opportunity? He’s playing for such a big club and he’s managed to do that, and he deserves a lot of credit for that."

Read more: "Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill could handle the Rangers job. No problem. He has the temperament."

McCrorie was famously tipped as someone who could go on to be one of the best defenders in Rangers and Scotland history by his former boss Pedro Caixinha.

Gemmill isn't quite ready to place him into such a bracket, but he admits he is excited by the progress of the talented youngster.

"Now we are all interested to see how it progresses from here, and it’s great that he’s playing well for Rangers and for us," he said.