Soccer Football - Scottish League Cup - Final - Rangers v Celtic - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - February 26, 2023 Celtic's Daizen Maeda in action with Rangers' Todd Cantwell Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Keith Jackson has raised doubts about Todd Cantwell’s role in the Micky Beale Revolution.
With the important matches completed and trophies dished out the former Norwich starlet was in outstanding form during the dead-rubbers of May.
That was enough to convince Ibrox fans that they had a £40m superstar at their club just as Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent walked away as free agents.
So far Beale’s has recruited nine players for the new season with six of them in attacking areas.
With a dire scoring record Sam Lammers is being taken out of the firing line to play in the Number 10 role that Cantwell claimed last season.
John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Ianis Hagi face a serious battle to remain in the Starting XI but the form of Lammers could mean that TikTok is no longer playing in his preferred position just behind the main striker.
Previewing the season ahead, looking at Beale’s Revolution, Jackson explained:
The early indications from pre-season suggest that the manager is still grappling with some of these issues and that’s before he attempts to add two more new boys – Danilo and Jose Cifuentes – into his team.
Also, he’ll be keeping his fingers crossed that this influx does not trample too heavily on the toes of Todd Cantwell who was positively blossoming in his role as creator in chief last season but who has looked out of sorts so far this summer as Beale has experimented with systems and strategies around him.
Following an unconvincing 2-2 draw with Hoffenheim at the weekend, Beale has run out of time to try any further tinkering. When he sends his side out at Kilmarnock at tea time on Saturday, he’ll have to be all but certain that it will deliver all three points.
Yes, if Brazilian striker Danilo lives up to his big money reputation, if Cyriel Dessers gets quickly up to speed, if Sam Lammers continues to look the part and Cantwell rediscovers his best form, then Beale might have built a team which is capable of causing Rodgers some serious discomfort on his homecoming. But as things stand right now, amidst a summer of such uncertainty, it all feels almost too hard to call.
There has been no mention on new deals for Lundstram, Borna Barisic and Kemar Roofe who are all out of contract in May 2024.
Yes, a bit surprising that Jackson was having a mild pop at the golden boy,
Cantendwell – and before the season actually kicks off.
Also, in that article Jackson speculates whether Cifuentes will go straight into the
starting line up against Killie!
sevco has signed the player – but he can only play for them from the end of December.
It’s a week since Cifuentes signed the pre-contract – allegedly – but still no sign of
him getting on a plane to the UK. And presumably he’s not had a medical either?
Will be VERY interesting to hear the BS excuses from Beale if Cifuentes doesn’t arrive
at Ibrox this week. 🙂
If if if. If ma auntie was ma uncle.
If If If – is always followed by – could could could – wi that mob by what I read on the blogs… So aye definitely – ‘If’ ma auntie had balls she ‘could’ be ma uncle !
Toys, pram, thrown are words that may probably be attributed Tik Tok Tod. Or, maybe, changing his Alice band to a Union Flag design might give him, the Onion Bears and The DR a new focus of Staunchness.
PS. Not having TikTok. Has Todders recruited Dessers, Lammers and the unpronounceable Cfers to his Jane Fonda calithnetics Morelos missed a trick Fitness regimen.
Lol looks like Worzel Gummidge will be struggling for game time then.
This can only lead to disputes between manager and player with a bit of unrest in the dressing room .
I wonder if aunt Sally McMoist will come to Worzel’s rescue.
Can just visualise Cantendwell throwing a wobbly in the dressing room,
when he learns he’s not picked to start,
…and throwing his Alice band on the floor in anger, and stamping his feet! 😉
Tea and cakes? And a belly in Columbian proportions. John Pertwee’s ‘football head’, TikTok head or why I am denying my (), insert insult, ( keep it clean).
He’ll dye his hair blond and will wear a brand new swanky blue hair band and all the Rangers press boys will be saying that he’s a genius to re-invent himself ….Go get ’em tiger !
Alot of ifs and buts not something I would like to be hearing coming up to champions League qualifying rounds and start of new campaign. Should be an interesting week to say the least for the newco