Playmaker Todd Cantwell looks to have found his feet at Blackburn Rovers after leaving Rangers behind – and it can only be uncomfortable viewing for under-pressure former boss Philippe Clement.
The duo endured a rocky relationship after the Belgian stepped into the hot seat before the Englishman pulled the curtain down on his spell in the Scottish Premiership with a move to the English Championship on the final day of the summer transfer window. Cantwell had been frozen out of the first-team plans by Clement after submitting a transfer request.
But that was far from the first chapter in the tumultuous connection the pair endured at Ibrox. The gaffer brutally subbed Cantwell off Ross McCausland after just 35 minutes in the Europa League clash with Aris Limassol before criticising his lack of width on the right flank during the clash with the Cypriot side – with both parties teasing that the full story had yet to come out following the 26-year-old’s departure.
But just days after Cantwell openly suggested he would love a move back to Ibrox one day, he has been earning rave reviews from his Blackburn teammates. Experienced forward Andi Weimann reckons that after recovering his fitness – having trained with the Rangers B team in pre-season without playing a minute of football – he is providing John Eustace’s side with a creative spark.
He told the Lancashire Telegraph: “The manager does a lot of work analysing the opponents and how they play. We identified an area and we took advantage. It was me and Todd in those areas and we exploited that.
“Todd has been a great addition, he’s had a fantastic career so far. In training, we see what he can do. It took him time to get up to speed, he’s started a few now and that’s only going to benefit us, having a fully-fit Todd in the team.
“His technique and the positions he takes up, he sees a pass. He’s been a welcome addition.”
It comes with Clement’s struggling stars facing a probe over lack of creativity with pressure mounting on the manager after the 1-1 draw with Dundee United. Concerned Ibrox hero Neil McCann told Sportscene: “There’s lots to get into about Rangers’ performance. We will look at the goal that they concede but I’m concerned about the chances they create.
“You expect Rangers to create chances and dominate the play at Ibrox, but that’s not good enough; St Mirren have scored more goals, Dundee have scored more goals, Aberdeen, Celtic; so there’s evidence there that they’re not doing enough.
“There’s not a variation in their attack. There’s not enough quality coming from their left side and it’s almost predictable and one dimensional.”
Will Clement regret allowing the creative spark to move south of the border? It’s one of many calls he may look back on with pressure rapidly rising.