‘I played for Rangers and have a theory behind Oliver Antman struggles’
Derek Ferguson believes he has the perfect solution that could fix Oliver Antman’s disappointing form at Rangers.
The Finland international produced another disappointing display in Rangers’ 0-0 draw with Falkirk on Sunday, and has been subjected to even more criticism as a result.
Antman joined Rangers from Go Ahead Eagles in July for a fee that could rise to £5million, and he is yet to score a single goal for the Bears.
Despite having an incredible season in the Netherlands, Antman has only started six of Rangers’ 13 Scottish Premiership matches this season, and he is clearly low on confidence under Danny Rohl.
The right-winger has faced an abundance of scrutiny, although Ferguson believes that a change of position could benefit him.
Derek Ferguson believes Oliver Antman could thrive on the left
The 24-year-old was excellent in the Champions League qualifying matches against Viktoria Plzen, although Russell Martin then started to lose faith in him.
Mikey Moore was preferred over Antman for numerous matches across August and September, despite being hugely criticised for his below-par performances.
This undoubtedly affected his confidence, and he has only started three of Rohl’s nine matches in charge of Rangers.
| Appearances | 20 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 12 |
Antman scored in Finland’s 4-0 win over Andorra on 17 November while playing as a left wing-back, and Ferguson believes that he could be a success on the left wing.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, he said: “The first game he played, he was outstanding, but since then it’s not happened.
“For Finland, I think he plays on the left and he’s done well. But he’s one of those who’s underperforming for Rangers.
“Maybe he’s a player who’d benefit from playing in a team that’s performing well, which isn’t the case for Rangers. It’s been a struggle but hopefully it’ll turn for him soon.”
A huge reason for Antman’s early-season struggles has been the lack of consistent game time under Martin, and he has been given similar amounts of sporadic game time under Rohl.
Oliver Antman faces too much competition on the left
For the early months of the season, Djeidi Gassama locked down the left wing spot with his impressive performances, which left Antman and Moore to fight it out on the opposite flank.
Nedim Bajrami was impressive against Falkirk, and he’s certainly putting a good case forward about why he should start.
With the squad needing an overhaul, and Rohl figuring out which players he favours in his team, Antman’s future at Ibrox looks incredibly uncertain.
However, Ferguson’s suggestion could be the spark Antman needs to revive his career, and prove he is worth the £5m price tag.
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