Former Ibrox staffer Dr Ceri Bowley reckons Rangers have sorely missed Tom Lawrence.
The former Giovanni van Bronckhorst coach – who joined the Gers from the City Group during the Dutchman’s tenure – has been discussing the Welshman’s absence.
And Ceri Bowley reckons countryman Tom Lawrence would’ve been a Rangers difference-maker if only he had been available for the club over the last 12 months.
Ceri Bowley backs Tom Lawrence
Rangers suffered badly when the former Derby County captain, who joined the club last summer, was ruled out for the best part of a year after starting impressively last season.
“Tom’s (Lawrence) qualities are different,” Ceri Bowley told the Daily Record. “From travelling with the ball to picking passes, receiving in tight areas, scoring goals, assisting, running in behind – Tom has a range of abilities that others just don’t have.
“So when you lose that thing that’s different, it’s obviously going to affect the variety of your play. Tom was unique and it’s not easy to replace that uniqueness.
“He’d just got going at Ibrox and was starting to contribute goals. We were starting to see the real Tom Lawrence before he got injured.
“I was gutted for Tom because I know how passionate he is about doing well at Rangers. He had a set-back after that initial injury which made things even more difficult.
“I just hope for him, the new manager and the club, they can have Tom back playing consistently because when he is, he’ll be very effective for Rangers.”
Rangers to feel benefit
Rangers have been boosted by the return of Tom Lawrence to the squad, the attacking midfielder impressing in the 2-0 win over Livingston before the break.
A senior player in the squad at 29-years-old, Rangers signed Tom Lawrence with the intention of the playmaker making a big difference last season.
But as things have transpired Rangers have been made to wait on the attacking midfielder with Ceri Bowley believing Tom Lawrence can be a difference maker from here on in.
“Tom definitely leads on the pitch,” said Bowley. “If a team-mate’s under pressure, give Tom the ball. He’ll look after it for you.
“If you look at Tom, you can see he’s gone through some adversity which builds character. He’s had a good grounding at Manchester United’s academy and has gone on to be a skipper at Derby, where he played an instrumental role coping with some of the off-field issues they had at that time.
“That tells you a lot about his ability to stand up and be counted when times are tough. And I think he can do that again for Rangers.”
Ceri Bowley was sacked as part of the post-Giovanni van Bronckhorst clear-out at Ibrox and Tom Lawrence is one of the Dutchman’s signings.
Fans will hope the midfielder can go on to have the impact which Bowley clearly believes he can and after a two week international break the stage is set for Lawrence to go and make his mark in Glasgow.
