Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack was left heartbroken by an injury prognosis that ended his Scotland hopes at Euro 2020, but the influential star will be back stronger next season.
In Rangers’ legendary unbeaten campaign which secured 55, Jacko was a bit-part player due to a niggling calf issue that took months to properly identify.
The 29-year-old midfielder would then have to go under the knife and suffered the pain of missing both Rangers’ title run-in and the national team’s first tournament in 23 years.
Undeterred, Jack appeared on Sky Sports before Scotland kicked off their campaign in disappointing fashion with defeat to the Czech Republic.
Discussing the idiosyncrasies of the squad, Jacko made a sarcastic yet telling comment regarding one player many Rangers fans believe shouldn’t be keeping a Gers star out of the side.
Motherwell and ex-Kilmarnock full-back Stephen O’Donnell is Steve Clarke’s man at right-back having played under the Scotland gaffer during Clarke’s time at Rugby Park.
Many Gers fans – and others not of a Rangers persuasion – believe that the manager is making a mistake sticking with O’Donnell over precocious young Rangers talent Nathan Patterson.
As the debate regarding the berth rages on, Jack – and whilst we must stress the Rangers midfielder was only having a laugh – revealed that O’Donnell is sarcastically referred to as the “teacher’s pet” on Scotland duties.
“Stephen O’Donnell at Motherwell worked with Steve Clarke at Kilmarnock when he was manager there,” said Jack.
“So SOD – which is his nickname – is the teacher’s pet, every day he’s over at the gaffer or at the staff table. So I’d definitely say him.”
Rangers kid Nathan Patterson, 19, remains one of Scotland’s most talented young players and many feel his exclusion from the 2-0 defeat to the Czechs had an impact on the result.
Click HERE to watch Patterson and Billy Gilmour trounce a Celtic duo at a special behind-the-scenes clash whilst on Scotland duty.
