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Whelan: Gerrard wasting 'exceptional' Roofe as Rangers ace wants to play elsewhere
Kemar Roofe is wasted on the wing at Rangers and Steven Gerrard must change his position to get the best out of him.
That’s according to former Leeds and Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about how to get the best out of Roofe.
Roofe, 28, joined Rangers from Anderlecht in the summer of 2020 and has so far racked up 10 goals in all competitions.
Despite being utilised mainly as a winger, Whelan insists Roofe is better through the middle as Rangers miss his clever movement.
When asked if Roofe would prefer to play centrally, Whelan told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge, “Yeah, I believe so.
“He came to Leeds as a winger and that was his position pretty much, for a long time he was out wide.
“I just think you get more benefit and his movement is much more effective in that central area, he’s alive, he makes great runs in behind and those little diagonal runs.
“I feel that he’s very regimented out wide, there’s not much movement from him, they miss that quick movement getting in behind.
“Those little quick balls in between defenders, he’s very static out there for a player like Kemar Roofe, his movement is exceptional in and around the box and to have him out wide. Yeah, it does seem a little bit of a waste.
“But if you asked Roofe if he’d rather be on the bench or on the wing, he’ll tell you the answer.”
This week, Roofe picked up a four-game ban from UEFA after his horror challenge on Ondrej Kolar during Rangers’ 2-0 loss to Slavia Prague.
Rangers announced in a statement that the club will appeal the decision as they feel that the punishment was ‘severe’.
In other news, Rangers have been urged to raise release clause in “huge” new contract deal.