Fabio Cardoso: I love life in Scotland and I'll stay to fight for my Rangers future

[jackrfc95 4,255]

Quote

FABIO Cardoso has suffered his fair share of blows already in Scottish football. Now, he has another battle on his hands at Rangers.

Life at Ibrox has been far from straightforward for the Portuguese as he has been eliminated from the Europa League by Progres Niederkorn, suffered a broken nose in the Betfred Cup semi-final defeat to Motherwell and seen compatriot and manager Pedro Caixinha sacked. Since then, the 23-year-old has made just one competitive appearance as his ability and his future have been called into question.

The obvious option would be the easy one for Cardoso. After just half a season in Scotland, he could return home and look to banish this chapter of his fledgling career to the back of his mind.

That route has never been considered, though, and he remains as determined as ever to make the grade at Rangers. If he does, he will have done it the hard way.

“It's frustrating not to be in the team but it's football,” Cardoso said. “I have to respect the decision of the manager. I can't say anything negative. In the last game [against celtic], Danny [Wilson] and David [Bates] played very well. I have to respect that. If the manager took me out with no reason, I wouldn't be happy. So I understand it and respect my team-mates.

“We're in this together. Things change and I have to be ready when I get my chance. I'm willing to fight for my place in this team. We all have to fight. If we all do that and try our best, the whole team will improve. That's what we want.

“I'm still a young player, I'm learning the game so I have to be patient. I don't want to give up. I could give up and try to find another team. But playing for Rangers is going to help me a lot in my career.

“I'm learning a lot here, even when I'm not playing. This is the right place for me to develop as a footballer, as a person and to be successful.

“If the manager wants me here, I want to stay. I'm ready to give my best every day in training and when I get my chance in the team.”

Cardoso has only been called upon once by manager Graeme Murty since he replaced Caixinha as manager - in the win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie - and finds himself down the Ibrox pecking order.

The defender has plenty of critics amongst the Ibrox fans but he wants to win them over rather than prove they were right to doubt him.

“I'll make mistakes but I'll learn and we're improving as a team,” Cardoso said. “We're more solid now.

“I'm enjoying working with the new manager. He tells you things face to face, he never hides or plays games. I like the way he trains us. He understands UK football because he played in it.

“We're getting better and every day we're playing more like the manager wants us to play. It's going to be a big second half of the season for me because I want to get back in the team. I want to help the team to win games. We'll do all we can to win every game and put pressure on the team in first position.”

Cardoso may split opinions amongst Rangers supporters but the feelings he has towards them are overwhelmingly positive.

After spells with Pacos Ferreira and Vitoria Setubal in his homeland, life at Ibrox has been a step into the unknown. It is one Cardoso is pleased he made, though.

“I love life in Scotland, I enjoy it,” he said. “It's impossible not to enjoy playing for Glasgow Rangers. I've never played for a big club in big stadiums like here. I've never felt support from fans like I do here, it's amazing. The support we get is unbelievable. They're so passionate and that's why feel we have to do more for them and the club. It's a massive club with huge history. It's an honour for me to be part of it.

“In Portugal for Vitoria Setubal, I went to play against Porto and Benfica, clubs like that. Sure, they have a lot of supporters but here our fans are different. Even when we play away, I feel like we're at home.”

 

[esquire8 42,237]

Has a chance but has to buck up his ideas big time. Not shown he is near the quality we need on a consistant basis. Would give him till the summer as a backup.

[ChrisMcb 649]

Out of all the summer duds I’ve always thought he deserves a chance 

[Amato 3,014]

Good words from him. I'd have no issue with us keeping him and seeing if he can live up to his potential. Came here as a hot prospect (apparently) and he's still learning.

[KeyserSoze 14,494]

I kinda like him but needs to get a run of games to both improve and build his confidence. 

[Billy1984 6,314]

It's up to him to first force his way in then make the shirt his own.

[MurrayWilson 3,351]

That is exactly the attitude that you want, whether he can prove to be good enough we will have to wait and see. 

[OhW 4,669]

 

[Malkytfp1 18,555]

Needs to toughen right up and get in about it. I worry his nose break will make him a bit weary going into headers.

[DennyBlueNose 652]

He's young, living in a foreign country and for a club with such massive expectations the likes of which he won't have experienced. 

Would like to see him given the chance to prove his worth, plenty from the Portuguese media were raving about him when he joined so there must be something there. 

Here's hoping he kicks on from a shaky start and turns into the defender he was hyped up to be. 

[JR 1,480]

He’s positionally very naive which can be excused given his lack of experience. That needs to change and very quickly if he is to make a future for himself here. I don’t see him as a starter for us but if he steps up when required from now til the end of the season, then we should look at his situation again. 

I want to like him, his attitude seems good and he seems popular with the squad  - but he has a long way to go to convince me he can make it at Ibrox longer term. 

[MoOnMAn69R 16]

boys still young he has lots to learn and if we have a place for wilson then we have room for cardosa to at the very least fight for a place

[RangersMedia 35,961]

I'll be very disappointed if we sell him at this stage. He's young and has potential. Think he deserves at least another 6 months to see if he can get back into the first team.

[Lloyd 10,756]

So basically "I won't get a better contract anywhere else so I'll stay here and pick up a wage for being shite."

[Getstiffed 8,863]

Say what you want about him and big Herrera but they've both made some amount of effort to get into the culture and get to know the country. They might not be good enough but its not from a lack of trying.

[Hamie 4,824]

Another player I think is better suited to a back 3. 

[graeme_4 34,326]

I don’t think he’s anywhere near as bad as is made out. 

Fine as a squad player. 

[Leeds_Bear 8,099]

I think Windass is proof that some players need to time to adjust playing for a Rangers, granted we can never really afford that luxury but with Marting potentially coming in, Wilson and McCrorie able to play there. I’d keep Cardoso for another 6 months, he’s better than Bates and deserves another chance. 

Needs to win a sheoad more defensive duals though, he’s often pushed off the ball too easily. 

[PRW. 5,631]

12 minutes ago, Siwel said:

So basically "I won't get a better contract anywhere else so I'll stay here and pick up a wage for being shite."

Wolves wanted him.

Think they’d pay slightly more.

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

32 minutes ago, Billy1984 said:

It's up to him to first force his way in then make the shirt his own.

Is that not what he has just said. 

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,347]

Good attitude but we should be selling him before his value starts to drop

Should be Wilson +1 at CB with Bates 3rd choice. We can't be having someone we could probably sell for over a million as 4th choice

[Lloyd 10,756]

1 minute ago, PRW. said:

Wolves wanted him.

Think they’d pay slightly more.

Find it hard to believe tbh, If wolves were that interested in him he'd have went there.

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

Good luck to him, he showed he has the talent at the start of the season before going off the boil dramatically. He’s certainly a better player than Bates, so he has to do what he has stated and knuckle down learn his craft and fight for his place. Sadly we dont have an experienced CB for him to learn from, thought we had one with Alves but he’s become one of the biggest disappointments ever in a Rangers jersey. 

[Billy1984 6,314]

7 minutes ago, Courtyard Bear said:

Is that not what he has just said. 

Yes and I echoed his thoughts. 

[plumbGER 24,518]

23 minutes ago, Siwel said:

So basically "I won't get a better contract anywhere else so I'll stay here and pick up a wage for being shite."

So basically, you're talking shite.

I don't particularly rate the lad but that's nonsense if that's what you took out that article.