Rangers: Maurice Ross sends ‘shoot the shepherd’ message after Philippe Clement decision v Aris Limassol
Former Rangers defender Maurice Ross has backed the call from Philippe Clement to bring off Todd Cantwell in the first half against Aris Limassol.
Cantwell was replaced by Ross McCausland 36 minutes into Thursday’s (30 November) Europa League tie with the Gers a goal behind.
The Ibrox crowd jeered the substitution, with Sam Lammers perhaps more worthy of being axed, but McCausland did net to salvage a 1-1 draw.
Reacting to the manager’s bold decision on his personal Twitter account [30 November], Ross said: “That’s a gaffer’s call!! No messing about!
“Tackling a ball going out of play isn’t what a Rangers “forward” is about! Where are the nice touches? Slid through passes? Eliminate a man?
“That decision, for me, tells any player this is the new regime! How it should be!”
When asked if Clement had picked the wrong time and player, Ross replied: “Na! This has been brewing for a while! U want sheep? Shoot the shepherd!”
Bold call
If it was even in any doubt, Clement showed with this one decision against Limassol that he is in charge of this team.
A manager can never be blamed for being proactive and making a decision others may have felt too awkward to make.
Clement was unhappy with what he had seen from Cantwell, not least the midfielder’s part in the visiting’s side surprise breakthrough goal.
While it could be argued that Lammers was more worthy of being taken off, it was nice to see the man in charge spot a problem and rectify it accordingly.
McCausland has surely now done enough to warrant a starting spot versus St Mirren, but it will be interesting to see who misses out.
All Cantwell can do is bounce back on the training ground, show he has taken the lesson on board and return to his form of old.
Besides, Clement has enough money in the bank following his strong start in the Ibrox dugout to make any decision he feels necessary right now.
In other Rangers news, the Gers must now make a brutal decision in January if they are to ensure Clement’s first season in charge does not go south.