Kris Boyd echoes Chris Sutton on Todd Cantwell as he makes thinly-veiled dig at sacked Rangers boss Michael Beale
Philippe Clement has to get Todd Cantwell focused on football at Rangers and not the “off-field social media and podcast circus”, according to Kris Boyd.
The ex-Ibrox striker wrote in his Scottish Sun column on 20 October echoing part of his rival Sky Sports pundit Chris Sutton’s view of the Gers midfielder, after Cantwell and fellow former Norwich man Sutton had traded negative views on each other during the week.
Boyd also sounded impressed by new manager Clement’s demeanour following the Belgian’s first press conference as Light Blues boss, framing it in such a way as to compare him favourably to sacked predecessor Michael Beale without naming the Englishman.
On key man Cantwell Boyd said: “Clement needs to get Todd Cantwell back on the pitch as soon as possible as he does make things happen.
“The Gers boss should also make sure Cantwell is focused solely on football, and not on the off-field social media and podcast circus.”
And on his view of the new boss: “He didn’t come across as someone who likes the sound of his own voice. Neither did he come out with all the cliched buzzwords modern coaches use.
“He doesn’t seem to be a manager who wants to be best mates with his players.”
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While it is no surprise that Boyd didn’t include some of the more insulting elements of Sutton’s assessment of Cantwell, it suggests there is an element to it that isn’t just rooted in the latter pair’s individual rivalry.
The English midfielder is talented enough to be the star of this Rangers side, and for a time last season looked like he was developing into just that under Beale.
But his form, along with nearly everyone else in the team, has tailed off this season while being interrupted by injury, so if he can get back to his best it will greatly aid his new manager’s task in turning things around.
Having seen Beale’s salesman-type persona undercut his own work at times before the wheels fell off this term, including in his own back-and-forth with Sutton around the Viaplay Cup final last year, it is no surprise that the club appear to have gone for a more serious character in Clement this time.
In light of performances most of the squad appear to need someone to get them back into shape fast rather than be their mate, so the attitude on show against Hibs on Saturday (21 October) as well as the style of play will be instructive.
Jack Butland aside perhaps, mostly everything has gone awry amid a miserable start to the campaign and Clement has been left to pick up the pieces from the failed Beale era as soon as possible.
In other Rangers news, a “big offer” in January has been mooted to “force Rangers’ hand” in having to sell a star player.