McInnes Backs Shankland to Deliver After Rangers Captain Starts on Bench

Rangers manager Derek McInnes has backed Lawrence Shankland to become a regular scorer at Ibrox after leaving his captain out of the starting side for Sunday’s League Cup win over St Mirren. BBC Sport reported that Shankland has scored once in five appearances since joining Rangers, while McInnes remains confident the Scotland striker will make a major contribution.

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Shankland was used as a substitute as Rangers beat St Mirren 5-1 to record their first victory of the season. McInnes instead started German forward Ryan Naderi, who opened the scoring, and gave the captain’s armband to midfielder Nico Raskin. The decisions put attention on Shankland’s immediate role but did not change the manager’s public assessment of the forward.

McInnes said Shankland’s record and penalty-box instincts meant he was not concerned by the early return of one goal from five outings. The manager urged the 31-year-old to continue playing his natural game and expressed no doubt that he would perform well for Rangers. Shankland scored 22 goals for Hearts last season while working under McInnes.

The Rangers manager also made clear that holding the captaincy does not guarantee a place in the starting lineup. McInnes said he discussed that condition with Shankland and that the striker accepted it. He nevertheless described Shankland as a strong captain who can influence the squad both on and off the field, whether he begins a match or enters from the bench.

Raskin’s selection as captain against St Mirren came amid reports linking the Belgium midfielder with a move away from Rangers. McInnes acknowledged that players can reach a price or a point when a transfer suits both sides, but praised the 25-year-old’s approach to training. He said Raskin had shown no sign of being distracted and that he was enjoying working with him.

The selection questions now carry into Rangers’ Conference League campaign. The Scottish club host Czech side Jablonec in the first leg of their play-off tie on Thursday, with the visitors arriving on a six-match winning run. McInnes told BBC Sport that Jablonec can change shape using the same personnel, but said his primary focus was on Rangers finding their own level and producing a strong performance.