Following his arrival back at Rangers earlier this week, Michael Beale has made a point of talking up the credentials of the current squad.

Recollections of the landmark 2021 title, a Scottish Cup victory and the intoxicating, inspiring run to the Europa League Final in Seville last season were given as reasons as why the new boss believes he has a team of winners with significant quality at his disposal. Whilst there is undoubted merit in those sentiments, there is also doubt. 

This isn’t the time for Beale to be anything but optimistic. Several players in the dressing room will be inspired by the ‘pick me up’ he has sought to introduce. An arm round the shoulder for some, frank talks with others. A look back at glories past in order to propel what needs to come next. Perhaps even a last chance for some and in that regard, Kemar Roofe is a prime example.

The Jamaica international was a key figure in the most recent league triumph, a season in which his undoubted talent was evidenced at home and abroad but also one disrupted by injury, a constant feature of his Rangers career and a lasting question mark against his name.

It was a problem that hampered the 29-year old striker during the reign of Giovanni van Bronckhorst. To date this season, Roofe has only been able to make two appearances. He was hampered in the pivotal run at the end of the last campaign which robbed him of a significant impact in the closing stages of the Europa League journey except for a late cameo in the final which included a converted penalty, then just days later he was unable to be deployed in the Scottish Cup final.

Fast forward to the present and Beale believes that he can restore a key asset as long as the mental and physical jigsaw is pieced together.

On his return to the helm at Ibrox, the Londoner was quoted on the former Leeds and Anderlecht attacker: “Kemar Roofe is back training, he has trained the last two days and looked very sharp. I don’t want to rush him, I want a strong Kemar Roofe back. There is physical fitness and then there is the mental state that one or two are playing in as well.”

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He referenced Roofe a few times in terms of getting players back from injury, the potential of the squad and overall, what he has to work with. Whilst it is very true that the striker is a talented player with plenty to offer, his track record is one that is consistently disrupted due to injury issues. How long can Rangers wait on getting to the bottom of his issues when the evidence is stacking up to suggest that an optimum condition and return on the pitch is now sadly beyond Roofe?

Beale is justified to assess his player, to give him some time and scope in terms of recovery to give him the best possible chance of salvaging his Rangers career but he is surely approaching the last chance saloon. Unable to make a real impact due to unavailability under Van Bronckhorst, Roofe will now seek to use the familiarity and positivity of past endeavours with Michael Beale to his advantage if he is to make a renewed impression on the Rangers first team.

34 goals from 74 appearances across all competitions in two and a half seasons speaks volumes, as does the number of games he is said to have missed due to injury, 50.

But Beale has gone out of his way to talk up Roofe for a reason. He obviously believes a return is possible.


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