Lawrence Shankland has defended his close friend and former Hearts teammate Cammy Devlin after the Australian midfielder's move to Rangers drew criticism from some supporters. Shankland, who joined Rangers earlier this summer, insists Devlin is a quality player who will improve the team.
Devlin's move questioned by fans
Rangers have signed three players from Hearts this summer: Shankland, manager Derek McInnes, and now Devlin. However, some Rangers fans have questioned whether the 30-year-old midfielder is good enough to help the club progress. Critics point to his age and style of play as reasons for doubt.
But Shankland, who played alongside Devlin at Tynecastle, has no such concerns. He said: “Cammy can make players around him better. Especially as an attacking player, he retrieves the ball so often that he just gets it back for you and the team can progress from there.”
Shankland's passionate defence
Shankland highlighted Devlin's development since joining Hearts, noting that the Australian has improved significantly. “If you look from when he started playing for Hearts to now, Cammy’s a much better player than he was at the start. So he's coming here at a good point in his career. He's in a good position and I’m buzzing for him,” Shankland added.
Devlin kept Hearts waiting for a decision as they tried to persuade him to stay, but after featuring for the Socceroos at the World Cup, he announced he would join Rangers. Shankland revealed he supported Devlin through the difficult decision, having faced a similar situation himself a year ago.
Underrated midfielder
Shankland believes Devlin does not get enough credit for his abilities. “I think he probably doesn't get enough credit for how good a player he actually is. Until his injury last year he was probably one of the best midfielders in the league to be honest. He was playing really top of his game so he'll look to re-find that form as quick as possible when he gets back out of training,” he said.
The two players are close friends, having both suffered injuries at the same time last season. “We’re close as friends. We actually got injured at the same time last season as well so we've spent a lot of time with each other on and off the pitch and in the gym so I'm delighted to have him here and look forward to seeing him,” Shankland concluded.
