ONE of Todd Cantwell’s new Blackburn team-mates has jumped to his defence over suggestions around how his Rangers career ended.
Cantwell, 26, left Rangers on deadline day last month to head back down south to join the English Championship side on a three-year deal.
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The midfielder was completely out of the picture at Ibrox under Philippe Clement at the end of last season and was even banished to the reserves alongside Ianis Hagi, who was also expected to depart before the window closed.
The long-running saga over Cantwell’s future in Glasgow kickstarted when Clement returned to a press conference at the end to drop the bombshell news that Cantwell had declared that he didn’t want to play for the club again.
The former Norwich City star later denied those claims after he officially joined Blackburn and met up with his new team-mates.
And Rovers star Lewis Travis has backed Cantwell to succeed Ewood Park and doesn’t understand the stick his team-mate has received in recent weeks.
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He told the Lancashire Telegraph: “We have got some great new additions. The likes of Todd, Pape (Gueye), Yuki (Ohashi), Amario (Cozier-Dubbery).
“They have all come in and they are raring to go in training. We have a great core of players there. Everyone wants to win and I think this season, we can do anything.
“You hear a lot online about things but he (Cantwell) doesn’t strike me as that person. He has come in and he is very hard-working, a down-to-earth lad.
“The conversations I have had with him, he wants to play football and do well. He has shown that already in training so I am sure when his chance comes, he will take it.”
Although Cantwell addressed the press conference announcement from Clement and insisted his comments were false, the player himself did admit that he DID in fact hand in a transfer request.
And he revealed upon joining Blackburn that he had wondered if it was the right decision.
He said: “It was difficult, it’s not a situation you ever want to be in as a player.
“I got on with all the players in the changing room and when you’re sat watching that happen, they go out to train, you wonder if you’ve made the decision or if you’re doing the right thing.
“It’s difficult as a player but at 26, you get some maturity that there is a bigger picture. That’s what I kept telling myself in the hard days.
“I’m ready to step forward now, get back on the pitch and show where I’m at.”
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