‘This is what people have told me about Joe Rothwell at Rangers, it’s puzzling’ – Exclusive
Joe Rothwell continues to remain in the dark at Rangers.
Signed from Bournemouth in the summer, Rothwell was immediately trusted by Russell Martin, but didn’t last long before being dropped.
That has continued under Danny Rohl, with Nicolas Raskin, Mohamed Diomande and Connor Barron all preferred in midfield at Ibrox.
Rangers have struggled massively this season, yet Rothwell has not forced his way back in.
Joe Rothwell mystery deepens at Ibrox
Derek Ferguson admits that Rothwell didn’t look fit enough after signing, but as his struggles continue, he has been left scratching his head.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, the ex-Rangers star shares what he’s been told about the former Leeds loan star.
“I’ve spoken to people, and they’ve told me he’s a good player,” Ferguson said. “So why is he not producing at Rangers?
“When Rothwell joined, it looked to me as though he wasn’t fit enough, which is just bizarre in this day and age, given everything that goes with sports science.
“But he looked as though he was carrying a bit of timber, and he was being subbed off after about 55-60 minutes because he was just knackered. It’s baffling.
“You can see there’s a player there, but is he enjoying life in Scotland? Is his family happy? There are all these different circumstances that we’re not privy to, but what he’s shown so far in a Rangers jersey has not caught the imagination.
“He’s been a really underwhelming signing, but he’s certainly not alone in that regard. For whatever reason, we’re not getting the best out of these summer signings.
“Whether Rohl has taken a look at them and thought ‘he’s not my type of player’, I’m not sure, but it’s puzzling.”
How has Joe Rothwell performed?
Rothwell is yet to catch the eye with a single performance at Ibrox.
Looking at his stats so far via Sofascore, the Englishman has made 18 appearances, but has only managed two assists in all competitions.
Although a pass accuracy of 92.6 per cent remains positive, most of these are simple balls, with limited key passes being made, as well as tackles.
With only 50 per cent of his duels being won, Rothwell is hardly dominating games when given the chance, and that is what Rohl will be demanding.
There is a good player in there; Rothwell just needs to take his next opportunity to show that.
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