The sight of the Rangers captain warming the bench while a younger, less experienced striker starts ahead of him is not just a tactical quirk, it is a statement. With the club poised to complete the £9 million signing of Kevin Kelsy from Portland Timbers, Lawrence Shankland’s position at Ibrox is becoming increasingly untenable.
Despite being handed the armband only weeks ago, the former Hearts and Scotland international is already being marginalised, raising serious questions about whether Derek McInnes made a mistake in elevating him to the captaincy before he had proven himself as a first-choice striker in this new Rangers side.
A Captaincy Given Too Soon?
When Shankland was appointed club captain earlier this summer, it was framed as a recognition of his leadership qualities, his experience in the Scottish game, and his proven goalscoring record at Hearts. But captaincy at a club of Rangers’ stature is not just about influence off the pitch, it is about being the alpha male on it. The expectation is that the captain leads by example, scores the goals, and commands the respect of teammates and opponents alike.
Yet, just a few weeks into the season, Shankland has scored only once in six appearances, a penalty against Jagiellonia Bialystok, and has been substituted on in each of Rangers’ last two matches, coming off the bench for the final minutes in the 1-0 Conference League first leg play-off win over Jablonec at Ibrox.
Derek McInnes has publicly backed his captain, insisting that Shankland’s goalscoring instinct will return and that the armband does not guarantee a starting spot.
“Being captain does not guarantee anything, and he accepted that,” McInnes said last week. “He is not going to stamp his feet about it.”
But while that may be true in theory, the reality is that a captain who is not playing is a captain whose authority is being eroded. If Shankland cannot command a starting place in McInnes’ team, how can he be expected to command the respect of the dressing room?
The Kelsy Factor - A £9 Million Vote of No Confidence?
The imminent arrival of Kevin Kelsy only deepens the uncertainty surrounding Shankland’s future role at the club. The 22-year-old Venezuelan international is not just another squad player, he is a £9 million investment, a serious statement of intent from Rangers’ American owners, and a direct rival for the number nine shirt. When a club spends that kind of money on a striker, it is a clear signal that the manager does not believe his current options are good enough.
Kelsy’s signing follows the season-ending ACL injury to Youssef Chermiti, which left Rangers dangerously short up front. But rather than turning to Shankland as the natural solution, McInnes has opted to go into the market for a replacement, suggesting that the manager does not see the captain as the long-term answer. This is not just about form, it is about trust. If McInnes truly believed Shankland was the man to lead Rangers’ attack, he would not be spending £9 million on a 22-year-old with no experience of European football.
The financial figures behind the Kelsy deal, reveal the scale of the investment Rangers are making in their new striker. This is not a panic buy - it is a strategic move, backed by the club’s owners, to secure a player who they believe can be the focal point of their attack for years to come. For Shankland, this is a damning indictment of his standing in the squad. He is no longer the first choice, he is the stopgap, the experienced head to be used sparingly, the captain in name only.
The Tactical Reality as Naderi Preferred Ahead of Shankland
Perhaps the most telling aspect of Shankland’s current situation is the fact that he is not even the first backup striker, that role appears to belong to Naderi, who has been preferred ahead of the captain in recent matches. This is not just a blow to Shankland’s pride, it is a tactical decision that speaks volumes about how McInnes views his options up front.
Naderi, a younger and more mobile forward, offers something different to Shankland - pace, energy, and the ability to stretch defences. In a Rangers side that is still finding its feet under McInnes, these qualities may be deemed more valuable than Shankland’s experience and penalty-box instincts. But for a player who was signed to be the main striker, this is a humbling reality.
The question now is whether Shankland can accept this role. At 31, he is not a project, he is a proven goalscorer who was brought in to lead the line and the squad. If he is to be used as a bit-part player, coming off the bench to see out games or provide a physical presence against tiring defences, then his value to the team is severely diminished. And if that is the case, then Rangers may well find themselves in a difficult position come January with a captain who is unhappy, a squad that is confused, and a manager who backed the wrong man.
Is Shankland the Right Man for the Armband?
There is no doubt that Shankland is a respected figure in the dressing room. His experience, his professionalism, and his track record in the Scottish game make him a natural leader. But leadership at Rangers is not just about being a good influence, it is about delivering when it matters most. And so far, Shankland has not done that.
The captain’s role is to set the standard, to be the first name on the team-sheet, to put in the kind of performances that win games. When the captain is on the bench, the authority of the role begins to look diminished. This is not to say that Shankland is a bad captain, far from it. But the reality is that the armband should be given to the player who is indispensable to the team, not the one who is being rotated out for every other match.
McInnes has defended his decision, pointing to Shankland’s leadership qualities and his belief that the striker will come good.
“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,” he said. But belief is not enough, results are what matter. And if Shankland cannot deliver those results, then the captaincy may well become a burden rather than a badge of honour.
Can Shankland Turn It Around?
It is still early days, of course. We are not yet out of August, and form can turn quickly. Service from the wide areas and from midfield has been patchy thus far, and Shankland has not been given the best of platforms to showcase his abilities. But the arrival of Kelsy changes everything. With a £9 million striker now in the squad, the pressure is on Shankland to prove that he deserves his place and his armband.
The next few weeks will be crucial. If Shankland can find the net, command the attention of defenders, and lead by example on the pitch, then he may yet silence his critics. But if he continues to warm the bench while Kelsy and Naderi are preferred ahead of him, then the writing is on the wall. The captaincy may well be stripped from him, and his future at Ibrox could be in serious doubt before it has even began.
For Rangers, this is a delicate situation. They cannot afford to have a captain who is not playing, nor can they afford to alienate a player who was brought in to be a key part of their squad. But the reality is that McInnes has made his bed and now he must lie in it. If Shankland cannot deliver, then the manager will have to make some difficult decisions about the captaincy, about the starting lineup, and about the future of a player who was supposed to be the cornerstone of his new Rangers side.
The error, if it proves to be one, was not the signing of Shankland. A free transfer of a proven Scottish goalscorer with leadership experience made perfect sense. The error was elevating him to the captaincy before he had demonstrated that he had the necessary quality to be a first-pick in McInnes’ new-look team.
Now, with Kelsy arriving and Naderi preferred ahead of him, Shankland’s future at Ibrox is far from secure and unless things change quickly, Lawrence Shankland may find himself looking for a new club come the summer, if not sooner.