Rabbi Matondo snub sums up embarrassing situation at Rangers amid ‘serious’ Michael Beale development
Rabbi Matondo has surprisingly been one of Rangers’ players this season.
The 22-year-old really struggled in his debut campaign at Ibrox last time out as he failed to score in 28 appearances across all competitions, supplying five assists in the process.
Injury issues didn’t help the former Schalke winger but after returning to fitness and having a good pre-season, he’s started 2023/24 in decent form.
Matondo grabbed his first Rangers goal against PSV in the Champions League qualifiers and also came off the bench to assist a goal in the 4-0 thrashing of Livingston on 12 August.
Speaking to Rangers Review on 23 August, Beale raved about Matondo’s form after the first leg against PSV, saying: “He came back for pre-season in great condition and has had a real go. I’m pleased for him.
“In his last two or three performances, he’s done really well. He gives us something we don’t have.
“I just felt the spaces in this game were made for Rabbi and that’s why he came on. He rewarded himself with a goal.”
Admittedly, he didn’t do much against Celtic at the weekend but not one player can really hold their hand up and say they performed well in the first Old Firm of the season.
Matondo looks like a new player this season but even though he’s been impressing in Govan, he still cannot get a game for the Welsh national team.
On Thursday night (7 September), Matondo was an unused substitute as Wales drew 0-0 against South Korea in an international friendly.
Rob Page used Fulham’s Harry Wilson, Ipswich’s Nathan Broadhead and Wes Burns and Bournemouth’s David Brooks and Kieffer Moore ahead of Matondo.
Even though he’s scored in the Champions League this season and has been one of the better players for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, Matondo cannot even get minutes as a substitute for the Welsh national team.
It’s embarrassing and sums up the state of our squad right now if a Wales fringe player is one of our most in-form.
Beale’s future at Ibrox is in major doubt at the moment.
The Mirror reported on 7 September that Birmingham City’s John Eustace is a contender to potentially replace Beale in Glasgow with the Englishman’s future under “serious threat”.
Beale’s signings in the summer have so far failed to improve the quality of the squad.
Maybe the fact that Matondo is standing out shows that Beale’s recruitment wasn’t good enough and that the signings he’s made are actually for players worse than the Wales squad player.
In other Rangers news, the chances of a sacking have already become real as replacements are lined up in two places.