Gordon Duncan hits back at Rangers fan live on air after Jose Cifuentes incident
Gordon Duncan has hit back at one Rangers supporter live on air after he criticised Jose Cifuentes for an incident in the Light Blues’ win over Hearts on Wednesday 6 December.
The Ecuadorian midfielder was introduced early in the first half by Philippe Clement after Tom Lawrence picked up yet another injury, but had to wait to enter the field as he was made to remove a gold necklace that he had left around his neck.
While Duncan hadn’t read too much into the minor incident, Rangers fan John was left incredibly irritated by the midfielder’s jewellery, suggesting that it showed that he wasn’t interested in playing for Clement’s side.
Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (7 December) he said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes, he’s done nothing for us, we’ve spent a bit of cash on him, he doesn’t look interested and when he’s ready to come on he’s got a gold necklace around his neck, he’s trying to get it off ready to come on the park.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I was watching it last night.”
Duncan hit back saying: “See we cut to the chase on all the big issues here, jewellery-related. It could be anything in Scottish football. He’s obviously not expecting to come on that early, but I would also respect why John said he should be ready to come on.”
The fan replied quickly saying: “I mean as Gordon touched on as well, guys would’ve taken their sovereigns off. I saw it when I was playing way back many moons ago at an under-21 level. Guys would have an earring in and the referee would come in and say get the sovereign off, get the ring off, get the earring out get the chain off and it would all be off.
“Having it on, I don’t get it and I think that shows everything, that he’s not interested.”
Duncan didn’t agree saying: “I think in theory I get it. I do wonder if there’s a bit of an over-analysis here and I’m very surprised at the number of references to sovereign rings in the first four minutes of the show, never been mentioned.”
Over-analysis
Cifuentes has flatted to deceive since arriving at Ibrox and it is completely reasonable for some Rangers supporters to be slightly disappointed in the Ecuadorian’s performance in a Light Blues shirt so far, but too much is being read into this.
The midfielder would have more than likely just left his necklace on because he didn’t expect to be introduced in the first half and would have taken it off at half-time if he had been told that he was coming on by his manager.
To suggest that alone shows he’s not interested in playing for Rangers is a bizarre leap from this supporter and Duncan was certainly within his rights to hit back at the fan for the unfair criticism.
Unfortunately for John the Rangers fan, he’s more than likely going to be seeing plenty more of Cifuentes at the heart of the Gers’ midfield now that Lawrence is injured again. With Ryan Jack also sidelined the 24-year-old is going to be needed, with or without his jewellery.
In other Rangers news, Si Ferry and Kevin Kyle have slammed Ibrox “joke” Sam Lammers after his poor recent form at Ibrox