ONCE ITTEN TWICE HIGH

Ced’s big chance to fill Jermain’s boots after flop first spell

I HAVE always thought there might be a proper Rangers player inside Cedric Itten. But if there is, the big man had better hurry up and get it out. He wouldn’t have expected this second chance to come around so quickly when Steven Gerrard let him leave on loan to German side Greuther Furth at the start of the season. He may even have suspected at the time it was the start of the end of his Ibrox career.

But things change quickly in football and, when they do, you have to be ready to make the most of the opportunities that land on your lap.

And make no mistake, this is Itten’s big chance to prove he has a future at my old club. Probably his last one. Listen, I’m not sure what the whole story was with Jermain Defoe, who has been allowed to move on even though he only just signed a new contract at the start of the season. It does feel to me as if he could have contributed more than he has done over the first half of the campaign. But it also makes sense to make the change now if Defoe was not going to have a place in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s staff going forward beyond the end of this campaign.

It’s better for the new manager to use this time to get a close-up look at Itten and to work out if the guy is worth a place in his squad. Or not.

I must admit, I’m still not sure myself.

Yes, I’ve seen him play in fits and starts.

He’s scored some big goals at big moments in important matches and there’s no doubt he has some good qualities.

But it’s just never really all come together for him in a Rangers shirt, not enough for him to hold down a regular starting place at any rate.

One thing I do like about him is he took the opportunity to go and play some football elsewhere.

He wasn’t satisfied to sit around on the periphery picking up a wage. That tells me he has the desire and a strong mentality to succeed.

So now he has to throw the kitchen sink at impressing the new manager and proving he deserves this second shot.

He has half a season to show he has the capabilities to play with Rangers and force his way into the starting XI. And he has to make the most of it.

The Swiss certainly has different attributes to Alfredo Morelos, Kemar Roofe and Fashion Sakala.

He’s a big lad with a physical presence who will give the manager a different option in particular matches.

He may also benefit from the tactical tweaks van Bronckhorst has made since taking over.

Under Gerrard, the strikers were encouraged to link up and do a lot of work outside of the penalty area.

But the new boss has a different approach. He wants his wingers wide and his goalscorers operating in the six-yard box, getting on the end of chances.

That might play straight into Itten’s strengths, so it’s a great opportunity for the lad to force his way into the picture, especially now that one of the competition for places has moved on.

There is something a bit strange about the way it all ended for Defoe. For whatever reason he seemed to fall out of the picture almost overnight under the previous manager.

One minute he was signing a new contract, appointed on to the coaching staff and taking a seat on the bench with the rest of Gerrard’s backroom team, the next he was sitting in a Sky TV studio at Old Trafford when Rangers were in action up the road.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one baffled by this but it just didn’t seem to sit right. I don’t know if there was a fall-out of some sort behind the scenes but it did feel as if Rangers weren’t getting enough out of him. Even at 39 he was still capable of contributing more than he did.

He might not be the same player he was 10 years ago. He may have lost a yard of pace over the years. But it was still a real thrill to have a striker of his standing playing in Scottish football over the last three years.

And even if he wasn’t at his peak, the guy’s stats were ridiculously impressive.

Over his time at the club he scored 32 times in 74 appearances – averaging a goal every 100 minutes – which just goes to show his qualities as a finisher.

So, yes, it is a bit strange he wasn’t involved more this season and maybe, in time, he’ll have his say on why that was.

But now that a new manager is in charge and Rangers are moving in a different direction, it does make sense for a parting of the ways. One thing’s for sure, Defoe will always be welcomed back by the fans who appreciate everything he did for the club, on the park and off it. He leaves with everyone’s best wishes.

But it’s interesting to see the changes van Bronckhorst is making and I’m not surprised he’s also keen on bringing in John Souttar.

Obviously, the boy is still a Hearts player and I don’t think it’s right for others to start mapping out his future for him. I’m sure Robbie Neilson is moving heaven and earth to keep him in Edinburgh right now.

But in terms of his qualities, there’s no doubt in my mind he’s got everything needed to be a top-class central defender.

He also has the mental strength because the injuries he’s suffered over the last couple of years could have ended his career.

To come back from that to reach the level he has, forcing his way into the Scotland squad, tells me all about his character.

He clearly has a big decision to make with the likes of Blackburn as well as Stoke sniffing around and he needs to look after No.1 in terms of the financial aspect. But a move to Rangers might just be the making of him. And now he’s been given this second chance, it could be the same for big Cedric.

Itten benefit may also tactical from the van tweaks Bronckhorst has made taking since over