Rangers forgotten man Rabbi Matondo has been handed a career lifeline in the shape of a Wales international call up for their upcoming World Cup playoff against Bosnia.
The 25-year-old has only featured twice this season and only has one minute of football in the Premiership.
Despite this Welsh manager and former Celtic forward Craig Bellamy has selected the winger for the crucial match this month.
Despite early-season injury issues that prevented any summer sale or loan move for the winger, he has been fit and training with Danny Rohl’s squad in recent weeks.
The thinking behind the call
Bellamy has suggested this was a key reason for his surprise selection.
“The teams who are the most prepared during the three-day period are going to be the ones who have the better chance of winning.”
Short preparation windows favour players who already understand the system.
Matondo, a regular in recent squads, knows exactly what is expected from his national gaffer.
Bellamy is clearly prioritising depth, versatility, and familiarity over pure club form.
“I always said, in order to qualify, it’s the squad that gets you there,” he explained.
“The bigger squads stand a better chance of qualifying.”
Bellamy was also keen to emphasise that he trusts his usual group, not just in-form players.
Once again aligning with sticking by established squad options such as Matondo.
The former Manchester City prospect’s reluctance to walk away from his hefty Ibrox wage has been a bugbear for Rangers supporters.
The winger is in the final months of his four-year deal at Rangers.
Despite occasional moments of class his spell has largely been forgettable.
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In total he has made just 70 appearances for the Gers, averaging about 18 games per season.
With eight goals and 11 assists, he has contributed less than four goals to the club in each season across those appearances.
He has been entrusted with just three cameos this season, two of which were against lower league opponents in the Cup.
Since his single-minute cameo at Pittodrie in early January he has failed to make a single Premiership squad.
Almost certain to go down as one of the club’s most disastrous pound-for-pound signings.
Matondo’s time in Scotland is nearing an end.
But his international call up may offer him a lifeline and a route into a post-summer move.
Unfortunately for Rangers, they won’t get any benefit from that as his deal will be over.
