With a hamstring injury, Cantwell will likely be out for a further four weeks, and Clement is dissatisfied with the way he’s being handled.
The harsh treatment Todd Cantwell endured at St Johnstone, according to Philippe Clement, may have caused the injury that will sideline the Rangers star for a month.
After a hard confrontation with Craig Levein’s squad last week in Perth, the Ibrox playmaker had to be substituted midway through the victory. He also missed Saturday’s 5-0 hammering of the Hearts due to a hamstring injury, and he now faces four more weeks out of action.
The former Norwich star was the target of a lot of violence, which Clement found unacceptable. One such instance was a challenge by David Keltjens that went unpunished right before Mohamed Diomande’s McDiarmid opener. He also believed that on that particular day, referee Matthew MacDermid could have acted more forcefully. The Ibrox boss, though, maintains that he isn’t seeking extra security for his best players.
When asked if Cantwell’s injury was caused in part by Saints’ forceful challenges, the large Belgian replied, “It will not have helped.” In that regard, Todd has evolved in a really good way. The past two weeks have seen a significant improvement in his attitude.
“Todd has always been a really skilled ball player, but occasionally he can be a touch too aggressive. We’ve had a conversation about that. He has gained knowledge and improved as soon as he began to play more straightforwardly.
“There were a few challenges in this game, so he could have definitely been better protected.” I can definitely recall one in the middle of the field when he was (flipped over), and in my opinion, those are usually yellow cards. But since I am a coach and not a referee, I will definitely not participate in those talks.
Referees can be helpful in that regard, but I don’t think they should shield any particular player more than another since that would be incorrect and would induce players to approach the game incorrectly from the outset. Never will I ask for it.
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