James Sands is to be snubbed for Qatar by Gregg Berhalter but the USA manager is to pick Malik Tillman, in a call which will devastate Sands who couldn’t really have done more to get the call.

Rangers’ trusty midfield and defensive utility man has really got the club out of a major personnel jam this season, and while there were some critics, those have receded in recent times, and Berhalter sung his praises when he was getting the move to Rangers.

But never picked him to start again, albeit did give him a call up for world cup qualification in March – but Tillman, who has had an indifferent time of it at Ibrox so far DOES make it to Qatar despite, as we say, rather patchy form.

Sands will be absolutely devastated not to make the team – despite getting the move to European football and playing in the UCL, Sands hasn’t apparently done enough to convince Berhalter he’s good enough for the WC, which is pretty much the same as Antonio Colak being dumped by the Croats for their trip to the Middle East.

We know that Rangers’ season hasn’t been great, but Colak and Sands have definitely been in the upper performers for sure and for both of them to miss out while lesser performers like Barisic and Tillman do make it is absolutely bewildering.

These NT coaches are as bad as Gio, Gerrard and the rest – they all pick their favourites, their pals, and it doesn’t matter who’s playing well, who isn’t, whose team is thriving, whose isn’t, it’s all about personal preference and mates and familiarity. Which makes you wonder whose interests these selections are in.

It’s also why Scotty Arfield almost certainly won’t go either despite arguably being one of Canada’s best players overall – his boss is too stubborn to make the call and Arfield himself cannot make it to him.

So for the likes of Arfield, Sands and Colak, it’s just keeping fit and getting on with the day job while their club team mates arguably unjustifiably get on the plane to Qatar.

No world cup for you lot we’re afraid.