Swansea City coach Russell Martin has admitted he received messages from Rangers fans asking him to green-light Morgan Whittaker’s aborted January move to Ibrox, in quotes reported by the Daily Record.
At the beginning of the winter window, Everton triggered the re-call clause in Ellis Simms’ Sunderland contract, bringing the young striker back to Goodison Park against his will. Simms, a regular starter at the Black Cats, has played just 15 minutes of football since his return, and it’s difficult to imagine such a decision having anything but a negative impact on the 22-year-old’s development.
There are similarities between the Simms situation and the one Whittaker suddenly finds himself in. According to Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher, Whittaker was ‘disappointed’ to learn that Swansea were taking a leaf out of Everton’s playbook, bringing a premature end to the winger’s outstanding loan spell at Home Park (BBC).
“Morgan’s back,” Martin says, while admitting that the decision to re-call Whittaker did not come from him.
“I’ve got a brilliant relationship with (Whittaker). I hope that’ll show in the next three months. He understood why I wanted him to go out on loan and play football. He’s come back and not been frustrated with me. I didn’t make the decision to call him back.
“Again, it’s not in my control. He’ll be in the squad tomorrow (against Birmingham City).”
Morgan Whittaker stuck at Swansea City as Rangers miss out
If Whittaker wasn’t ‘disappointed’ enough, Swansea then blocked the 22-year-old’s hopes of a fresh start at Ibrox, rejecting Rangers’ £2 million bid before the January deadline (Daily Record).
“I’ve had Rangers fans message me on Linkedin saying ‘let him go’,” adds Martin, who had a spell with the Gers himself in 2018. “I apologised to them. It’s not my decision.”
This, then, begs a rather important question. If not Martin, just who is making the decisions regarding Swansea’s playing staff? Surely it should be up to the former Norwich City defender to decide who deserves a place in his squad.
Whittaker scored nine goals and provided seven assists during the first half of the campaign at Plymouth.
“He’s a top, top young player,” EFL stalwart Jobi McAnuff told Sky Sports recently. “He can play wide right or just behind the striker. He scores important goals, he’s a great dribbler and carries the ball well. He’s a fluid player who links into the attack very well and he’s got a fantastic left foot.
“I’m a little bit surprised by (the Rangers links). I thought there’d have been some real top-end Championship interest in him. He has that huge potential to go on and have a really good career.
“If Rangers pull this off it’s a brilliant signing for them.”
