Cardoso pledges to stay put and fight for his place
FABIO CARDOSO insists he is not ready to give up on making it at Rangers despite a difficult six months with the Ibrox club.
Signed by Pedro Caixinha in a £1.3million deal from Vitoria Setubal, the Portuguese defender struggled to live up to expectations in some of his early appearances.
Cardoso’s situation then worsened when he suffered a gruesome broken nose after being elbowed by Ryan Bowman during the Betfred Cup semi-final defeat to Motherwell that hastened Caixinha’s sacking.
Estoril have been linked with offering a rapid return to Portugal, but Cardoso remains focused on proving he can play a significant role for Rangers in the second half of the season.
‘I don’t want to give up,’ he said. ‘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.
‘I’ll make mistakes but I’ll learn and we’re improving as a team. We’re getting better and 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.’
Cardoso admits he cannot complain to Graeme Murty about his exclusion when Danny Wilson and David Bates both shone in the December 30 goalless draw against Celtic.
‘It’s frustrating not to be in the team but that’s football,’ he added. ‘I have to respect the decision of the manager.
‘I can’t say anything negative. In the last game, Danny and David 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 teammates.
‘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.’
The broken nose sustained against Motherwell was a painful blow, both physically and in terms of his progression. Cardoso, though, felt as much dismay at the fact Rangers hadn’t made the first final of the season. ‘The injury was a setback,’ he said. ‘I felt bad because it was an injury that I couldn’t control. ‘It wasn’t a muscular injury or a normal thing in football. But it happened and I have to move on from it. Of course, I was angry at the time and it was difficult. I wasn’t angry just because of the injury — it was because we were out of the League Cup semi-final.’
Cardoso was given some Florida Cup game-time against both Atletico Mineiro and Corinthians as Rangers wrapped up their winter training camp.
Despite the impending drop in temperatures, the defender was looking forward to returning across the Atlantic.
‘I love life in Scotland,’ he continued. ‘It’s impossible not to enjoy playing for Glasgow Rangers.
‘I’ve never felt support from fans like I do here, it’s amazing. It’s a massive club with huge history. It’s an honour for me to be part of it.
‘In Portugal with 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.’