Scotland squad – how many Rangers players got the call?

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Scotland squad – how many Rangers players got the call?

When Scotland manager Gordon Strachan announced his latest squad for the upcoming world cup qualifiers, there was an air of inevitability as far as Rangers were concerned.

Despite the side’s second season back in the top flight being underway in earnest, not a single Rangers player featured in the squad, despite a significant number of contenders strutting their stuff at Ibrox currently.

There are a number of angles we can take on this, and most of them are pretty depressing.

For example, even under the ultimately disastrous Mark Warburton regime, Rangers still managed a few call ups for both then-winger Barrie McKay and club captain Lee Wallace. Now, we see absolutely none despite the fact our club is meant to be further established in the SPL.

There is a mitigating circumstance or two. Many could argue Celtic influence still holds the keys to the corridors of power at the SFA, and Rangers remain sidelined – but the truth is that conspiracy theory holds a lot less water now that Rangers’ managing director Stewart Robertson has a seat on the SPFL board.

And many consider Strachan an absolutely horrendous manager who picks out of a hat – probably true, but does it explain away the whole selection?

Should the likes of Graham Dorrans, Ryan Jack and Lee Wallace have earned a shout?

Lee Wallace is definitely a tricky one – the truth is he has been exceptionally poor for seasons now. This is yet another one where the left back just does not look impressive and with Lee Tierney, Andrew Robertson and even Hibs’ versatile fullback Steven Whittaker chosen ahead of him, the brutal harsh truth is he just is not good enough. The competition is too strong for a Rangers player to even contend with a Hibs one, and that goes beyond despair.

As for Dorrans and Jack? Those ones are more controversial. Jack has not been astonishing since his switch to Ibrox but has slowly improved and had his best match yet against Hearts. Steadily the ex-Dons man has begun to look the part. Should he have been given a call up? Many would argue a strong case but his ex-team mate Kenny McLean was overlooked too, despite good form. And many Aberdeen fans believe Strachan has a gripe with their club too, in light of no Shinnie, Reynolds, or Christie either.

But Dorrans is a very puzzling one. Overall he has been impressive for Rangers, and already has many caps. To omit him is a bizarre one given Scotland do not really have great quality in the advanced midfield areas, and he is an experienced international. Did his move to Rangers count against him?

All in all it is another sad reflection on the state of Rangers that none of our players get a call up. At this level Rangers (and Celtic) should be absolutely entrenched in the national team, but it is not the case.

Although curiously enough in the argument against Strachan in general he has picked six Celtic players, three Hibs ones and none from Rangers or Aberdeen. And even St Johnstone’s Michael O’Halloran can feel a touch aggrieved at being overlooked.

Rangers’ continued absence from the Scotland setup is not going to end any time soon, but fans can ‘console’ themselves with the fact that while our team is not good enough and there are doubts about the players’ deserving of being called up, Strachan too is a horrendous manager who rarely picks a fair squad anyway.

Que sera sera.

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12 COMMENTS

  1. Personally I'd rather none of our players got called up. Less chances of any players getting crocked that way.

    • Totally agree…focus should be getting better for Rangers first. Improve our team and Scotland recognition can follow …but frankly who cares ! Rangers first.

  2. Sorry ??? Who actually still gives a flying F**K about the Scotland team or the SFA ??? I for one am glad none of our players were included, it stands out Wee Chesney hates our club and everything associated with it, I hope Scotland get pumped every game

  3. I'm quite happy rangers players are not picked as they great Scottish tartan army are as bad as the paddy mob the hate Rangers and boo when Rangers players come on the park so fuck them the team is shite anyway and as long as that wee squib strachan is in charge they will qualify for nothing he couldn't win a raffle even if you gave him the winning ticket he would lose it he hates Rangers remember who he played for that's enough

  4. And the surprise for Strachan not choosing Rangers players is? Actually, judging by past 2 games, I wouldn't have picked them either!!!

    • Neither would I – even the most blinkered of fans could not really argue that Wallace should be included ahead of Andrew Robertson or Tierney. I honestly think Wallace has regressed badly as a player, on account of dropping down to the lowever divisions when Rangers were demoted. It was to his eternal credit, but also at his own cost. Jack and Dorrans just havn't done enough yet this season to justify their inclusion either.

  5. I cant agree when you say Scotland arent well off in midfield. Its the one area we have too many decent players. Dorrans might get a shout if he performs well over a few months but when you look at the midfielders who made the squad, who do you drop for Dorrans?

  6. The only player that SHOULD have been in the squad was Ryan Jack….. as to why he is NOT, this needs investigated given the numpties who are.

  7. Used to be a great Scotland man, travelling all over to see them lose but after recent years with SFAs atrocious attitude towards us and the current international managers hatred for all things Rangers it has now reached the stage where I honestly couldnt give a monkeys, and most probably never will and am actually drifting towards the English, WHY?, because it really gets under the vast anti Rangers brigades skin when the English get any kind of half decent result

    Scotland in general is the place to come for players if you want to sign mediocrity, mediocre players (at best) mediocre mentality, mediocre leadership, mediocre aspirations, bursting at the seams with mediocrity with a forecast of a very poor to mediocre future going forward and now with Rangers fans abandoning the cause, for understandable and justified reasons, they are left with a mediocre, PC, waggle yer wallies support, with an unhealthy wee mediocre club mentality

    Priorities are, as far as I am concerned, that Rangers did survive, aint going away and will go from strength to strength, while in all truth, Scotland international football died in the late 90s and when your gone, your gone

    WATP

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