uneasydaz
Well-Known Member
TODD CANTWELL knows he’s a divisive figure.
By the Rangers midfielder’s own admission, the way he plays often invites controversy.
But he insists he won’t change — and that some of the criticism he’s had has come from people who “need to stay relevant”.
Ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash with St Mirren in Paisley, Cantwell said: “People can make their own minds up about the on-field perception they have of me.
“I do think it’s probably unfair — and that there are certain people out there that like to jump on it.
“But I understand up here you have people who need to stay relevant and stay in the limelight.
“I’m the type of player that invites conversation — and probably controversy as well. I know that.
“I’ve found it a bit strange because there’s so much more going on, but it does seem to be highlighted.
“I’d like to be talked about in terms of how I play football more than anything else. But it’s part of what it is and you just need to move on with it.
“It would be easy for me to be a lot more introverted as a person. But I don’t want to ever live a lie, I don’t want to be false
“The person I am off the pitch is the same person I feel I am on it.
“Everyone has an on-field perception and an off-field perception. My on-field perception is probably very wrong compared to the person I am.
“But you’re in a city where football is adored by both sides and you’re going to be recognised by people.
“People are always going to have opinions and they’ll always differ. A lot of people will make their own minds up, that’s life
“But I don’t plan on changing for anyone. The people who are important to me know me and are happy with me.
“I don’t need validation from people who are irrelevant to me.
“My family and friends probably end up biting their tongues a lot more than I do. I’ve been in the football industry a long time now and a lot of things probably go over my head. People maybe think they don’t, but they do.
“But for my family, they are probably sitting there stewing over it
“My family understand me as a person and a player. They know exactly what type of lad I am. I try to keep myself to myself and not let stuff like that bother me. For me, I’m concentrating on my football.
“We’ve some big games coming up and I’m looking forward to finishing the season as strongly as possible.”
Today’s game will be Cantwell’s 50th since his January 2023 move from Norwich — and he admitted the switch has taken some adapting to.
He said: “I needed to get out of my environment and get a new one. I needed to play for an ambitious team.
“In many ways, it’s definitely what it was supposed to do for me.
“It’s a completely different club, a completely different league. The leagues are very different and, obviously, it’s a different country as well. The two can’t really be compared, I don’t think. I’ve spoken to a lot of people, a lot of Rangers fans, I understand what it means to play for this club.
“It’s not always easy to provide the quality you know you can — sometimes you can just have an off day.
“But I know what’s required off the ball and how they want someone to play for the shirt.
“That’s all I can try to do in every game and hopefully my quality comes through.
“A couple of injuries have given a little bit of a bitter taste about how the season might have been for me personally.
“With the season where it is and what’s up for grabs, if you’d said to me at the start, ‘Would you take that?’, I’d probably have said yes
“I’m getting back into the shape that I want to be in and I’m looking to finish strongly.
“The most testing part about playing here is yourself.
“The demands are obvious and simple, but for yourself it’s about being able to pick yourself up from disappointments in games, disappointments in performances, disappointment in yourself, disappointment in the team.
“Those are the everyday challenges a footballer goes through, and people probably don’t appreciate so much.
“You don’t get that breathing time here. You go straight back into another game and the expectations are back up to the roof.
“It’s important that you find within yourself a place that you can get to and know what you can get out of yourself. And I’ve found that.”
Cantwell says his display in the Scottish Cup semi-final win against Hearts last week should give his season’s run-in lift-off.
He said: “I’d like that to be a baseline. I don’t think it was anywhere near my best performance or any performance I can provide
“It got well received but moving forward at my fittest and best, playing where and how I want to play, there’s a lot more to come. If that can be my baseline until the end of the season, it can stand us in a good place.”
By the Rangers midfielder’s own admission, the way he plays often invites controversy.
But he insists he won’t change — and that some of the criticism he’s had has come from people who “need to stay relevant”.
Ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash with St Mirren in Paisley, Cantwell said: “People can make their own minds up about the on-field perception they have of me.
“I do think it’s probably unfair — and that there are certain people out there that like to jump on it.
“But I understand up here you have people who need to stay relevant and stay in the limelight.
“I’m the type of player that invites conversation — and probably controversy as well. I know that.
“I’ve found it a bit strange because there’s so much more going on, but it does seem to be highlighted.
“I’d like to be talked about in terms of how I play football more than anything else. But it’s part of what it is and you just need to move on with it.
“It would be easy for me to be a lot more introverted as a person. But I don’t want to ever live a lie, I don’t want to be false
“The person I am off the pitch is the same person I feel I am on it.
“Everyone has an on-field perception and an off-field perception. My on-field perception is probably very wrong compared to the person I am.
“But you’re in a city where football is adored by both sides and you’re going to be recognised by people.
“People are always going to have opinions and they’ll always differ. A lot of people will make their own minds up, that’s life
“But I don’t plan on changing for anyone. The people who are important to me know me and are happy with me.
“I don’t need validation from people who are irrelevant to me.
“My family and friends probably end up biting their tongues a lot more than I do. I’ve been in the football industry a long time now and a lot of things probably go over my head. People maybe think they don’t, but they do.
“But for my family, they are probably sitting there stewing over it
“My family understand me as a person and a player. They know exactly what type of lad I am. I try to keep myself to myself and not let stuff like that bother me. For me, I’m concentrating on my football.
“We’ve some big games coming up and I’m looking forward to finishing the season as strongly as possible.”
Today’s game will be Cantwell’s 50th since his January 2023 move from Norwich — and he admitted the switch has taken some adapting to.
He said: “I needed to get out of my environment and get a new one. I needed to play for an ambitious team.
“In many ways, it’s definitely what it was supposed to do for me.
“It’s a completely different club, a completely different league. The leagues are very different and, obviously, it’s a different country as well. The two can’t really be compared, I don’t think. I’ve spoken to a lot of people, a lot of Rangers fans, I understand what it means to play for this club.
“It’s not always easy to provide the quality you know you can — sometimes you can just have an off day.
“But I know what’s required off the ball and how they want someone to play for the shirt.
“That’s all I can try to do in every game and hopefully my quality comes through.
“A couple of injuries have given a little bit of a bitter taste about how the season might have been for me personally.
“With the season where it is and what’s up for grabs, if you’d said to me at the start, ‘Would you take that?’, I’d probably have said yes
“I’m getting back into the shape that I want to be in and I’m looking to finish strongly.
“The most testing part about playing here is yourself.
“The demands are obvious and simple, but for yourself it’s about being able to pick yourself up from disappointments in games, disappointments in performances, disappointment in yourself, disappointment in the team.
“Those are the everyday challenges a footballer goes through, and people probably don’t appreciate so much.
“You don’t get that breathing time here. You go straight back into another game and the expectations are back up to the roof.
“It’s important that you find within yourself a place that you can get to and know what you can get out of yourself. And I’ve found that.”
Cantwell says his display in the Scottish Cup semi-final win against Hearts last week should give his season’s run-in lift-off.
He said: “I’d like that to be a baseline. I don’t think it was anywhere near my best performance or any performance I can provide
“It got well received but moving forward at my fittest and best, playing where and how I want to play, there’s a lot more to come. If that can be my baseline until the end of the season, it can stand us in a good place.”
