Rangers: Chris Jack tells Philippe Clement how to ‘get the best’ from Todd Cantwell
Chris Jack has urged Philippe Clement to give Todd Cantwell positional freedom to “get the best” out of the injured Rangers star.
Speaking on The Rangers Review YouTube channel (20 October), Jack claimed that keeping Cantwell tied down to a single position would be detrimental to Rangers’ success, urging players “just to give him the ball”.
Cantwell remains on the sidelines after his knee injury in the Old Firm defeat but was training on Friday (20 October) ahead of Clement’s debut game against Hibernian.
Jack said: “On Cantwell, you want him on the ball as often and as many times as possible. A game that sees Todd Cantwell have the most touches of any Rangers player is probably a game that Rangers win.
“He’s the most attacking player, he’s the most creative player, he’s the one that’s got that gyle, he can pick a pass. I would like to see him score more goals – he had that run towards the end of last season which picked him up a couple, but I’d like to see him score more.
“The way of getting the best out of him is just to give him the ball. So if that means he has to drop deeper at times and then make things happen from there, fine. If it means he’s getting up beyond the striker, fine.
“I think there has to be that freedom. It’s not a case of you give him one particular role in a team and he stays in that area of the pitch, that’s not the way he’s going to help teams.
“I think if you allow him to drop into different areas and pop up in different areas, that’s going to be the best way to get the best out of him.”
Crucial
When Cantwell isn’t busy having online arguments with Chris Sutton, he has been focused on returning to full fitness after his untimely injury.
The Old Firm defeat set the tone for the last chapter in Michael Beale’s Rangers history, but Cantwell’s injury in that clash has been noticeable in the subsequent performances. While wins were found on the pitch, dissatisfaction continued to spread off it.
Now, Cantwell has a new man to call his gaffer and Clement could utilise the Englishman to great effect. Jack has some very clear ideas on how Cantwell should be played, and a mercurial player like the former Norwich City man can be given the license to play this way.
Clement will have his own ideas for the 25-year-old. The first glimpse of the Belgian’s Rangers will be seen on Saturday (21 October), but Cantwell is unlikely to be part of the initial equation considering his recent return to training. Rangers fans will be mostly keen for some better football and hopeful of a title push.
In other Rangers news, Gordon Dalziel has issued an “honest” verdict on what the fans are “crying out” for.