How Declan John demonstrated the problem with Scotland

When Wales’ Declan John lined up yesterday morning for Ryan Giggs’ maiden match in charge of the national side, the reports of the Rangers left back’s performance was nothing but praise from both the media and fans of the Dragons.

Indeed, Rangers supporters were delighted the 22-year old got the call up, a return to the international stage after an exile under Chris Coleman.

Compare that with the toxicity over Jamie Murphy and Jason Cummings, two players who, if featured tonight against Costa Rica, are quite likely to be booed by ‘supporters’, just like Ian Black, Lee Wallace, Ryan Jack and Barrie McKay all were.

Then social media will fill with nothing but attacks on Rangers, with likely a high dose of sectarian abuse aimed at the national manager and the players in question.

Yes, if nothing else demonstrates the ongoing hatred of Rangers within the Scottish game, while our players who play for the likes of Portugal (Alves), Wales (John) and Northern Ireland (Hodson) do so with pride and respect from their fans and their associations, here in Scotland our supporters will systematically single any h*ns out from the team and launch a volley of bile.

Don’t get me wrong, we are used to this, but it never gets any more comical.

One only has to look at the bigoted attacks on Russell Martin by Celtic supporters at a supermarket following the recent Old Firm to remember just how toxic Glasgow and Scotland are with regards Rangers.

This is not hypocrisy – Rangers fans have been no angels down the years either with our brand of poor conduct.

But there’s a difference. Rangers fans have basically saved all their rubbish for Celtic (and to an extent, Aberdeen, who hate us more than Celtic do)– meanwhile all of Scottish football, certainly the SPL, and the national support, seems to have united in hatred and poison towards Rangers.

All of this makes the ongoing Rangers and Scotland team soap opera quite the poisonous saga.

When we hear of the praise Wales fans and media gave John for his excellent return to the international scene, we know our best players are clearly good enough for that level. But even if Jamie Murphy scissor kicks a stunning assist for Jason Cummings to reverse head into goal, the Tartan Army will barely celebrate.

Or was that ‘especially if’?