Andy Halliday reckons Brandon Barker is one of the best players he has ever watched in training.

The former Rangers midfielder, now at Hearts, hailed the winger over his stunning training ground showings at Auchenhowie.

Barker - a product of the Manchester City youth academy - made just 27 appearances for Rangers scoring three goals in the process.

And while he failed to set the heather alight under Steven Gerrard, Halliday insists Barker's - now at Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus - quality was evident during training sessions.

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Gushing over his former team-mate in training, Halliday said on Open Goal: "Brandon Barker. One of the best trainers I have ever seen.

"I know for a fact if you ask anyone who has played with him at any club - whether it's Hibs or Preston - they'd all say the same thing.

"Josh Ginelly when he came to Hearts, had played with him at Preston, and he said the exact same thing.

"He said: 'Brandon Barker was the best I've ever seen in training'.

"He was at Man City when he was younger and apparently he was the one coming through at Man City at that time.

"Honestly, in training he would get the ball off the goalie, dribble by the full team and score.

"I'm not saying people thought Brandon Barker was s**** but fans would say he's not good enough but in training..."

Halliday also reserved special praise for one-time Rangers loanee Gedion Zelalem who played for the club during Mark Warburton's tenure.

Then an Arsenal player, Zelalem spent a season with Rangers in the Scottish Championship playing 21 times.

On his former team-mate - now at FC Den Bosch in the Netherlands - Halliday added: "Gedion Zelalem, he was the same, a joke in training. He was still decent in games.

"He was a joke in training. Very, very good."