Kris Boyd shocked at Philippe Clement decision in Rangers draw v Aris Limassol as ‘worst player’ claim made
Kris Boyd did not think Todd Cantwell was the worst Rangers player in the opening 35 minutes of their clash with Aris Limassol.
The verdict came after the midfielder was substituted by manager Philippe Clement just after the half-hour mark of their Europa League match on Thursday (30 November).
The substitution came after the hosts went 1-0 down to the Cypriot side at Ibrox thanks to Shavy Babicka’s goal in the 28th minute.
“Clement has had enough of Cantwell!” Boyd said on Sky Sports News, as quoted by Sky Sports (8.36pm, 30 November). “He isn’t messing about.
“I didn’t think Cantwell was the worst player in the first 35 minutes but Clement isn’t carrying any passengers.”
Brutal decision
No player wants to be taken off early in a match, especially one with such significance given how it came in the Europa League.
Cantwell will, therefore, undoubtedly be raging at the decision from his manager, who clearly wasn’t happy with how things were going at that point at Ibrox.
Perhaps the man in the home dugout was simply not happy with Cantwell, who did have a role to play in the first half goal from the visitors as he was the one who gave possession away not long before the ball went into the back of the net.
But it may also have been a tactical decision, with young winger Ross McCausland replacing the former Norwich City man.
And it proved to be a superb decision from Clement, with Northern Ireland international McCausland scoring an equaliser for the hosts early in the second half.
But that is where the goals stopped at Ibrox, with the two clubs settling for a point in their 1-1 group stage draw in Glasgow.
In other Rangers news, Clement is working wonders on and off the pitch at Ibrox as Gers contract news emerges.