In his presentation to the media on Tuesday, Todd Cantwell certainly made a bold impression but he wants his full impact to be made on the Ibrox pitch.
Rangers’ first and only signing of the January transfer window so far, came across as reasoned, articulate and mature in terms of what he had to say, following his arrival on Edmiston Drive. His choice of footwear also made a statement, but the less said about that the better.
Cantwell's Shoes – Holy Fcuk! 😲 pic.twitter.com/ezeGPRDezE
— FollowFollow.com News (@GrandmasterSuck) January 24, 2023
It is fair to say that if the former Norwich player had progressed over the last two or three years as expected, he wouldn’t be preparing for the next stage of his career at Ibrox. It is partly because of that factor, that Rangers can benefit significantly as long as Michael Beale can act as the catalyst to bring out the best in Cantwell and back to the kind of form that had him linked with the Premier League big boys not so long ago.
As for the man himself, there is a sense of hunger and determination in his voice, that he wants to create a name for himself as well as making up for lost time in football terms:
“As a footballer, things aren’t always going to go well for you. I think my career started in a very promising and satisfying way. I didn’t really have too many challenges come my way and then I had them all come up once. You guys are probably fully aware that things off the pitch can affect someone on the pitch just like any normal person.”
“There have been struggles but everyone has struggles off the pitch and everyone has struggles in life. I’m not here for a sob story but I’m in a position now where I feel like I’ve got a mental strength towards a lot of things and I’ve got a chance to prove a lot of people wrong.”
He struck the right tone, saying all the things the fans want to hear but as like all before him, he will be judged by his actions on the pitch when it matters. In the high pressure, expectant but massively rewarding Ibrox environment, Todd Cantwell can thrive and flourish.
The rest is up to him.