When Rangers stars Lee Wallace and Barrie McKay were initially called up to the Scotland squad by manager Gordon Strachan after he labelled them as “fine a partnership as I have seen in some time” reaction from Rangers fans was widely positive.
Despite the Ibrox side’s exile from the national team in recent years, and the resentment it has caused (right or wrong) both towards Rangers and from Rangers, there has always been a sense that supporters wanted Rangers players involved in the Scottish regime again; that a Scotland team without any involvement from Rangers players is not a true Scotland at all, and is fundamentally weaker without them.
There also is a school of thought which remembers 2008, the Loch Lomond incident and the banishment of Rangers players from George Burley’s Scotland, before Craig Levein mostly kept the same trend up and made most fans hate Scotland.
Then we had Rangers’ admin in 2012 which led to further animosity and last but not least 2014’s referendum which has fractured Scotland in two making some fans feel this country and its team are not their own any more.
Whatever path you take, Rangers and Scotland has been a subject of controversy for some time, and the olive branch of McKay and Wallace being called up (even if only for cover for the Celtic and Aberdeen players involved in Europe) was probably a welcome one.
Unfortunately Wallace pulled out with a minor injury, while McKay was left on the bench. Yes, correct; Scotland’s brightest young talent in terms of his position was left to rot in the dugout and did not even get a start. He also did not come on as a sub when Scotland were trailing.
It is hard to know how to judge this; I did not witness the dire spectacle that was a feeble loss (by all accounts) but no shots on target in 90 minutes is up there with Levein’s 4-6-0 formation. Ergo, one cannot help but wonder if it is in fact a good thing that Barrie McKay played no part in it, despite being dragged all the way to Malta anyway.
He is a surefire starter for next season’s Rangers campaign, and until Rangers have a number of top class Scottish players who are knocking on the Scotland door, it seems a bit token to merely have a brief appearance by one player in a meaningless friendly which Strachan did not even take seriously enough to field a half decent team anyway.
So, for now, it does not seem to matter. McKay is enjoying life at Ibrox, and Scotland is just a distraction. Of course he will surely be proud to play for his country at some point, but it is likely he probably is not that bothered by it all right now.
McKay will surely attract interest from England which is definitely a good thing for both. Playing for Scotland will increase his value so I'm all for it.
Unfortunately he won't get much game time due to the lack of respect Rangers players get from Strachan
im a Rangers Fan and a season ticket holder at Ibrox. I'm also a patriotic Scotland fan and a fan of any other team that plays England. We need to get away from this Rangers players should withdraw from the Scotland team and a to Rangers bile it's doing us no favours.
If players want to be called up to the national team then good luck to them no one has any right to question it.
I too am a fan and season ticket holder, at some point in my early life I made a decision to support Rangers but I was born a Scot and I always will favour all things Scottish so let's forget all this anti SNP stuff. I'm old enough to remember a time when the bulk of support for the national team were Ibrox supporters, it's only in the last 30 years or so that Rangers have suddenly become British.
It's only in the last 30 yrs or so that Scotland and Scottish football in particular has been run by these cunts to be fair. Not a fan of the word but it's perfect for them. Cunts
Yes Tommy, let's forget to remember a government which encourages hatred of Rangers and everything associated with it.
Wake up.
Paranoid rangers fans – sounding more like celtic fans every day. As a rangers fan – these knuckle draggers are embarrassing. In my lifetime – there has been nothing that makes me proud to be british. War mongering maniacs.
Please explain to me how being critical of the government makes one a 'knuckle dragger' and 'war mongering maniac'
I suspect you don't have a good reason, which is why you resorted to insults in the first place.
Anyone who starts a sentence with "Please explain to me how…" is a knuckle-dragger. But you wouldn't know that.
Proudly SNP and been a Ger my whole life. Saor Alba.
So now we are bringing up non-existent grammatical rules? Quite appropriate.
Wee barry should just say no scotland this country hates rangers and they fans im proud to British i will never support scotland
oh grow up wee scott the world is not against us no matter what jim traynor says
Open your eyes mate
Rangers players should just say no to scotland this country hates rangers and they fans look once agian we get blame for hibs fans running onto pitch last year nothing done about motherwell fans hitting rangers player then running onto the pitch hate scotland come on england and northern ireland pround to be british
Ffs catch a grip. It's moronic comments like your last point that play into their hands.Proud to be a Rangers man and proud to support Scotland.
And all the 'hun' chanting and booing must make you proud. Want to talk about moronic comments?
I remember when rangers were the backbone of Scotland's team but over the years it's been diminished by various managers through the dislike of our club Gordon strachan hates rangers look where he played he would play anyone before them Wallace has proved that best full back in scotland you can only think back when certain Celtic player would rather play for Ireland yet Scotland's manager begged him to play for us now we are looking for player from anywhere who had great grandads or who had family member who slept with a scot to give them a game but Wallace born and bred no chance it's a joke I hope rangers players tell them to get stuffed as long as starch an is in charge
I'm a passionate Rangers fan, but love everything about Scotland and like the commentor above have no desire to see England win anything. McKay should be very proud at being given the chance to put on the dark blue jersey. Hopefully when the Gers get back in the Scotland team it'll come good again.
Well said
If McKay was English and was left on the bench nobody would be saying anything. The guy posting above me is perfectly correct. I'm from the day when the Scotland support WAS Rangers fans. If the boy is good enough he'll get a game.
I have never been a big fan of International Football and my biggest concern for Rangers players in any National Team is that they might be injured and consequently Rangers will be deprived of their Services.
As far as Scotland is concerned it is not the country that i grew up in, now it more resembles an early 20th century Southern Ireland than a proud part of the United Kingdom with its left wing Republicans cleverly manipulating themselves int positions of power in the judiciary, Law Enforcement and of course Politics. When they fail through the Ballot Box, (as is happening), I fear what they will turn to next!
Hear hear regarding the natz
Personally I would be happy if no Rangers player played for Scotland again.Rangers players are treated differently from the rest of the players when playing in front of the tiresome"Tartan army".
Barry Ferguson the only Scot in the last 15 to 20 years to not treat the ball is if it was a hot potato got dogs abuse from these boorish boring Hamish English/British hating bigots.The reason?He was a Bear.
Last time I went to see the national team was 10 years ago against Italy.The Hun word was thrown about and Rangers players got picked out for unwarranted abuse for the slightest thing.
Won't be back and in a ideal World either will any Ranger.
No. They are an embarrassment to us all with the ginger wigs and anti England songs.fuck the lot of the sad pricks
You belong under the Scotland's Shame banner
Oh so that "anthem " you sing about battles hundreds of years ago are great but any other singing about battles hundreds of years ago is Scotland's shame? Please explain this to me as I really don't get it. People and in particular football people are tribal. Just let us get on with it and stop picking and choosing what you want to be offended by
A football player doesn't have a long career, so they should make the most of the opportunities that come there way. Politics should not come in to football, but where Strachan is concerned it does. If Rangers players get a chance, they should grab it with both hands. WATP
Being True Blue does not make it compulsary to be a Unionist or for that matter anti Independance but if you want to get a good idea of how many in the pro Independance movement view all things Rangers look at past articles in Wings Over Scotland and see the contempt our club and supporters are held in by this esteemed pro independance blogger and his supporters. Back to football however hopefully at some point we will be able to put out a Scottish team worthy of its name. It does however seem a long time off particularly as we have just reappointed the same management team who ensured we are the only Home Nation not competing at the Euros.
I keep seeing people post "well 30 years ago Scotland was followed by the Ibrox crowd" etc.
Well those days are behind us. Apathy has created a situation whereby all of the institutions associated with Rangers are under attack by a left-wing political establishment, and as a result of this revisionism the national team has been appropriated by Jacobites. Do you want to see Mackay booed by his supposed countrymen?
LOL. Cock by name…
What a retort.
In response to the question?!. Yes, I think Barry should be bother about playing for Scotland. It's an honour to play for our country and the Rangers players will be the first to say. The only issue I have is Gordon Strachan and Mark McGhee,,both ex Aberdeen and Celtic,,, of course they hate Rangers!!! However, that said, I dont think they would leave out a rangers player with outstanding skills. McKay was on the bench, this is still great experience for him,, it will give him something to fight for next season and be part of the world cup push,,, Mark my words,, Barry will be first choice every time in the future,, as will Jason Holt and Halliday,,, watch this space,,,Gordon and MCGhee might be bigots,, but that wont stop them choosing Rangers players that can dig them out of a hole…. Scotland needs Rangers,,, now we are back where we belong, our players will be playing regulary for Scotland, back to normal!!
I nearly got a Scottish schools cap at U15 a very long time ago. I have always wondered what it would have been like to walk out representing my country.
The boys a football player they play for trophies & money thats it end of, So let him do what he wants to do & let him get on with it, He is performing well for Rangers so thats excellent & if he gets into the Scotland squad then fair enough, All i wanna see is the boy doin well for Rangers & if you are a Rangers supporter then so should you
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