Rangers manager Michael Beale has claimed several Ibrox first-teamers are playing through the pain barrier and given a startling injury insight into the club’s pre-World Cup collapse.
The Gers were humiliated in an energy-sapping Champions League campaign and woeful domestic performances eventually heralded woeful domestic results ahead of the tournament in Qatar.
Following very poor draws with Livingston and St Mirren and a defeat to St Johnstone, Rangers find themselves nine points off the top of the Scottish Premiership and are now a long shot to win the Premiership title.
The Gers won’t believe its over until its over but realistically Rangers face a big task to overturn Celtic’s lead and the comments regarding injury give an insight into the issues at the club.
Rangers captain James Tavernier played v Aberdeen despite carrying the flu, Glen Kamara has put off required surgery, John Lundstram has been taking injections and Alfredo Morelos played through an injury at Pittodrie.
This comes with several high-profile players already out of the side, with Ridvan Yilmaz, John Souttar, Filip Helander, Kemar Roofe, Ianis Hagi, Tom Lawrence and Antonio Colak all still sidelined.
The likes of Connor Goldson, Ben Davies, Ryan Jack and Alex Lowry are also just returning to the side, whilst Borna Barisic is still off after World Cup duty with Croatia.
Michael Beale lifts lid on scale of Rangers injury issues
“If we let everyone that had a niggle, a runny nose or a bit of a sore throat not play, we would struggle to put out an 11,” said Beale [Rangers].
“Connor Goldson played his first game [after injury], Ben [Davies] is coming back but he has had some issues,” he explained.
“Glen Kamara should probably have had an operation in the last couple of months but he has played through it [leg problem]. It is manageable. When he plays it swells up so we have to be careful with the type of training.
“We are managing Ryan Jack’s minutes and John Lundstram took an injection to be on the bench.
“What you won’t know is that Alfredo Morelos had to come in from training the day before the Aberdeen game as well and played when he shouldn’t have done. I have to manage it.
“He is one of the players playing through the pain barrier for the team so I am never going to question him in terms of his mentality. You can’t question his commitment.
“Tav did travel on his own. He was a big, big doubt and probably in his performance you saw parts of that. But he is fine now.
“At the moment the results are important. It is a busy schedule so we all have to bite down on the gumshield and go.”
The comments give an insight into the scale of injury problems at the club and whilst some may have sympathy due to the hectic World Cup scheduling, something is clearly wrong at Rangers.
Be it the conditioning of the players – something which has clearly been an issue all season long and reflects badly on the legacy of Giovanni van Bronckhorst – or the regular signing of injury-plagued players – something which reflects badly on Ross Wilson – Rangers are clearly feeling the consequences.
A few injured players is normal, a handful is unlucky, but when the bulk of the squad are either injured or playing through injuries then it points to a fundamental problem at the club and the drop off from only a few months ago has been remarkable.
Meanwhile, one Rangers star has also sent an ominous fitness message amid the run of injuries at Ibrox.
