When Rangers loaned out one of Mick Beale’s signings after only a few months in Ibrox, they most likely did so with one of two end-results in mind.
Either, a player who struggled badly in the Scottish Premiership would rediscover the form of old, and return to Ibrox a man reborn. Or, a player who joined the club for a cool £3 million would boost his market value with a few eye-catching displays, thus reducing the risk of Rangers making a considerable loss should they turn a temporary departure into a permanent one.
Whatever the future holds for Sam Lammers, the oft-embattled Dutchman is doing his prospects of a first-team role under Philippe Clement in 2023/24 no harm.
Rangers loanee Sam Lammers scores a ‘beautiful’ goal
As Utrecht defeated NEC Nijmegen on Sunday – defeating one of their rivals for a European play-off spot and closing the gap on Ajax to just five points – the former PSV Eindhoven man scored a goal reminiscent of those glory days at Heerenveen, when Lammers looked destined to become the next superstar forward to emerge in a league which gave us Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin van Persie Luis Suarez.
Lammers, like he did so often at Heerenveen, dropped deep to receive possession, turned on the ball and fizzed it out wide. Then, breaking his neck to reach the penalty area, Lammers placed a beautiful first-time volley – one that would not look out of place among Van Persie’s best – back across the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
“That (goal) was a really good one,” Jans smiles, speaking on FC Utrecht’s official YouTube channel after Lammers combined brilliantly with Utrecht’s former NEC left-back Souffian El Karouani
“The running action was great, the spinning cross, the volley… A very nice goal.
“You know what the fun part is? Sam says (the best part) was the cross, and Soef says ‘no, it was the finish!’ Beautiful.”
Lammers now has six goals or assists in just 10 Eredivisie appearances for Utrecht. Twice as many as he managed in 17 Scottish Premiership matches in Rangers colours.
Three goals and three assist already
“We knew it was a very important day for us,” smiles Lammers, a forward who’s confidence looked shot at Ibrox playing with the swagger and the poise of a man reborn.
“It was hard-fought, but based on the second half, (the win) was really deserved. I thought (El Karouani’s) cross was very nice. I could keep running and let the ball fall on my foot. That is even more difficult than it looks.
“Scoring for the Bunnikside (Utrecht) is addictive.”
There are certainly worse habits to fall into.
