Lawrence Shankland: Rangers Captain's Role and Impact
Derek McInnes insists Lawrence Shankland will be a “brilliant” Rangers captain and a major figure at Ibrox this season – even if he has to fight for his place in the starting XI.
The striker followed McInnes from Hearts in the summer, swapping the armband at Tynecastle for the same responsibility in Govan. The script, though, has not quite gone to plan. Shankland has yet to catch fire in a Rangers shirt and watched Sunday’s 5-1 League Cup demolition of St Mirren from the bench, with Nico Raskin leading the team out instead.
That decision stirred the usual noise. McInnes is not interested in it.
“I said that when I spoke to Lawrence. Being captain does not guarantee anything, and he accepted that,” the Rangers manager explained ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Conference League play-off first leg against Jablonec at Ibrox. “He is not going to stamp his feet about it. Somebody has to be club captain and, having worked with Lawrence before, he is a brilliant captain and a brilliant boy.
“He has a lot to offer. People can maybe look too much into it.
“You want your captain to have a big influence on and off the pitch, and I believe Lawrence will have that. For me, it is a non-question, although I understand why people might see more in it.”
Shankland has started the season quietly by his own standards. His only Rangers goal so far came from the penalty spot against Jagiellonia in a Europa League qualifier. Against St Mirren he was introduced for the second time this campaign as a substitute, unable to add to that tally in a game already well under control.
McInnes, though, shows no sign of anxiety.
“When you have a player like Lawrence, who knows his way around the penalty box and how to score goals, I do not worry too much about it,” he said. “He is too good not to score regularly. He has consistently shown that over a period of time in the Premiership, with 20-odd goals a season at Hearts.
“Sometimes people can overemphasise these things.
“For me, it is a case of letting him play his natural game. The best strikers have that instinctive side to their game, where everything looks natural and seamless. I have no doubt he will do well here.”
While the Shankland debate rumbled on, Rangers quietly moved to address another area of the squad.
Earlier in the day, the club confirmed the season-long loan signing of Kosta Nedeljkovic from Aston Villa, a deal that includes an obligation to buy. The 20-year-old Serbia international becomes McInnes’ 11th summer recruit and will compete with Dujon Sterling and Ross McCrorie for the right-back berth.
It is a position McInnes had ringed in red months ago.
“It was a position we identified at the start of pre-season. We looked at various options,” he said. “The club had been reliant on Dujon, who has had his history of injuries, so we wanted to bring in a different type of full-back.
“I've got a high opinion of Dujon, but with Kosta you get a player similar to Vanja (Dragojevic) in a full-back position: real enthusiasm, athleticism and the ability to get up and down the pitch.
“He shows good quality and a real eagerness to play the role. As a young player, there will still be areas to improve, but we're looking forward to helping him develop.”
So as Rangers step into a pivotal European week, McInnes has his captain under scrutiny, a new right-back through the door and competition crackling across the squad. The armband is settled. The team sheet is not – and that is exactly how he wants it.
