The irony of Philippe Clement saying that Rangers needed someone with a ‘bit of magic’ to unlock Kilmarnock won’t have been missed by those who felt more should have been done to keep Todd Cantwell.
As the most natural No.10 in the squad, the Blackburrn Rovers playmaker has been missed with Tom Lawrence filling the gap until Nedim Bajrami was brought to Ibrox.
How the manager would love to have Cantwell back now as he starts to find the sort of form that made him a Rangers favourite until things turned sour.
Todd Cantwell hits headlines for right reasons after Rangers exit
Speaking after a man of the match display against Swansea City, the 26-year old is clearly happy to be back in familiar territory, as reported by the Lancashire Telegraph:
“I want to play in these games at all these great stadiums. I am very much looking forward to putting a run of games together now.
“We’re sat sixth so the Championship is always the same, whether you’re in or out of it. Everyone beats everyone. But if we keep a run going at home and pick up points away, we’ll be in a very good place at the end of it all.
“It’s all about consistency. It sounds boring but it’s being at that level consistently. We dropped off for a week and we felt what happens if you do that.
“We lost two games that we shouldn’t have lost if I’m being honest. That was because we weren’t consistent with the level we showed before.
“Momentum is the most important thing in the Championship, you can have a good month and be in the top three. A bad month and you’re 13th. That’s the Championship and it’s why we all love it. That’s why we need to show that consistency.
“I think there’s a great mix of younger and senior boys which creates a great atmosphere.
“With the Championship, nobody can play every single game and there’s a lot of quality.”
Rangers have seen Cantwell at his best before
Cantwell’s display earned him a place in the EFL Team of the Week, something that he took great pleasure in sharing himself via X.
Much was made of when Cantwell was deployed other than in a central, attacking midfeild role, a position the player claims is his best, and yet, in the same interview as above, he declares himself happy to be playing off of the left wing.
At one point, it looked like Rangers were going to make serious money on their former No.13, however, things never quite went to plan, and he left for a relative pittance.
Despite being available for transfer for almost the whole window, there was never any real concrete interest until Blackburn made their move late in the window.
He isn’t quite at last chance saloon just yet, but Rangers fans heard similar comments from Todd Cantwell in his time in Glasgow.
They also saw match winning performances and weeks where he was the best player in the country.
How long it lasts for, is entirely down to him as Blackburn hail their new “magician”.
