Rangers star Nathan Patterson’s misdemeanour may come back to bite him amid talk of a shock senior international call-up.
The 19-year-old has made big strides as a player in recent weeks, scoring his first senior goal in a Europa League knockout tie and making his first Premiership start.
Replacing James Tavernier is a near-impossible job but Patterson has impressed many and there’s even talk that he could soon earn a maiden senior international call-up with the European Championships looming [Glasgow Times].
Right-back has been a problem position for Scotland for some time and it’s suggested that the pacy, attack-minded teenager could be the solution.
However, an SFA charge is currently hanging over Patterson’s head and a big mistake made last month could well scupper his chances of representing his country this summer.
The Academy graduate was one of five Rangers players to breach Covid regulations and although he was brought back into the fold following his self-isolation period, he is likely to be handed a significant ban at his SFA hearing on 25 March.
Opportunities against Slavia Prague and Celtic will come before then, but if he’s handed a seven-match ban, as Jordan Jones and George Edmundson were for similar offences in November, he may not feature again before the end of the season.
Tavernier should be back fit after the international break and while Patterson would be eligible if the Gers progress in Europe, there’s a chance he’ll be out of contention for every post-split Premiership fixture, depending on the length of his ban and how far the club gets in the Scottish Cup.
It would be a big ask anyway to expect a player as inexperienced as Patterson to do a job at the Euros, but if he receives little to no playing time over the final months of the season, it’s hard to see Steve Clarke naming him in his squad.
Meanwhile, Ross Wilson has provided a positive Rangers transfer update.
