WHEN Ally McCoist walked into the media room at Murray Park yesterday afternoon wearing what looked like a comedy bandage on his right hand, the expectancy was that he was about to make a typically jocular reference to the withdrawal of four Rangers players from the Scotland squad earlier this week.
The absence of Barry Ferguson, Allan McGregor, Christian Dailly and Lee McCulloch from the midweek international against Croatia at Hampden has managed to dominate the build-up to today's Old Firm showdown at Ibrox, a match in which all four are ava
ilable for selection.
That will fuel the suspicions of those who doubt the veracity of the various ailments which prevented any of the quintet taking part in new Scotland manager George Burley's first game in charge just three days before an assignment which may prove crucial to their club's prospects of winning the SPL title.
McCoist, however, was in no mood to make light of the website and radio phone-in conspiracy theorists. Just as the plaster encasing his fist turned out to be as the result of minor surgery he underwent this week, so his defence of the patriotic commitment of his players was deadly serious.
"I think it is unfair to cast any doubt on our boys," said McCoist. "The fact is that the SFA's medical team said they were all unfit to play. People will always have their own opinions on it, but I know they are carrying injuries, that's a fact. It's just par for the course. There have been call-offs from the international team before and it will happen again.
"The boys want to play for Scotland, let's make no mistake about it. No-one is in a position to pick and choose the games they play for their country. No-one should ever have that privilege and I hope no-one ever does."
The Rangers assistant manager, of course, suffered the most damaging injury of his career while winning one of his 61 caps for Scotland but says he would not have swapped a single appearance for his country for the months he had to spend on the sidelines after breaking a leg in the infamous 5-0 World Cup qualifying defeat against Portugal in Lisbon 15 years ago.
"People shouldn't forget, I was out for the best part of a year after breaking my leg while playing for my country," he added. "That goes with the territory and I never once mumped or moaned about what I missed out on when I was out for that year. It's an honour and a privilege to play for Scotland, it's as simple as that.
"So I do find it a little bit naive of people to question players' dedication towards their country. Every Scot in our dressing room, and it's the same at Celtic, wants to play for Scotland. Most of them have never played at a major tournament which is the pinnacle of any player's career. They all wanted to be involved on Wednesday."
McCoist revealed that all four players concerned resumed light training at Murray Park on Thursday and believes they might not have been sent home by the SFA doctors and physiotherapists had Scotland been involved in a competitive fixture.
"Whether they would have played if it had been a World Cup qualifier, we will never know," volunteered McCoist. "Depending on the importance of the game for Scotland, their medical staff might have felt it was a sacrifice which was worthwhile. But they declared them unfit which, having seen them at close hand, I totally agreed with.
"They did light training yesterday, but light training is all we have been doing recently anyway because of the amount of games we have been playing. Everyone knows the importance of the game this weekend and that players seldom play at 100 per cent fit.
"Two or three days can be an awful long time in terms of a knock or an injury. We haven't picked the team yet, but I would be disappointed if they were not all available for selection. Barry Ferguson has been given an injection for his ankle with a view to hopefully being involved.
"During a season, you very rarely play at 100 per cent fit. Nobody does, because you are inevitably carrying a wee strain or knock. It is just a matter of patching the lads up and getting on with it."
McCoist assumed pre-match media duties yesterday as Walter Smith was attending a funeral. Rangers' number two was keen to vindicate his manager who, having previously been in charge of Scotland, was the focus of many of those criticising the absence of the four Ibrox players.
"To make any sort of attack on Walter is laughable really," said McCoist. "No-one knows both sides of the fence better than Walter. He knows how important it is for the club to be represented at international level, he knows how important it is for the players and for the Scotland manager and the SFA."
The only players unavailable to Rangers today because of injury are striker Daniel Cousin and winger DaMarcus Beasley, although McCoist had positive news to report on both men.
Cousin, who suffered a broken jaw against Werder Bremen three weeks ago, is in line to return to action next week. Beasley, sidelined since damaging knee ligaments in November, is back in training sooner than expected and is now likely to feature in the run-in to the end of the season.
• Rangers are 4-1 to lose today's Old Firm showdown and still win the SPL, according to bookmakers Ladbrokes.
Their city rivals Celtic, who are three points behind in the league table after playing a game more, are 7-1 to achieve the same feat.
Walter Smith's men are 12-1 to emerge victorious from all three of their remaining derby games this season, with Gordon Strachan's side 16-1.
The Old Firm game is 5-4 to feature more goals than the Merseyside derby south of the Border, where both teams are battling for the all important fourth spot which provides a lucrative path into the Champions League qualifying rounds.
Ladbrokes spokesman Robin Hutchison revealed: "After the punters filled their boots at last weekend's Grand Slam Sunday we're expecting to take over a million pounds on each match."
The full article contains 1065 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
