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Rangers players on international duty September 2023

By Steven Wilson

KRAKOW, POLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: Ryan Jack of Scotland battles for possession with Ruslan Malinovskyi of Ukraine during the UEFA Nations League League B Group 1 match between Ukraine and Scotland at Stadion im Jozefa Pilsudskiego on September 27, 2022 in Krakow, Poland. (Photo by Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images)
KRAKOW, POLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: Ryan Jack of Scotland battles for possession with Ruslan Malinovskyi of Ukraine during the UEFA Nations League League B Group 1 match between Ukraine and Scotland at Stadion im Jozefa Pilsudskiego on September 27, 2022 in Krakow, Poland. (Photo by Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images) /
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Usually, any international breaks are met with dismay by most fans, especially when it your club team has built up some momentum going into it.

For Rangers fans, it at least gives them a chance to let the horrible defeat to Celtic die down a bit and allow Michael Beale some extended time to try and remedy the situation on the training ground.

Beale won’t be able to call upon all of his players over the next week or so though, as some of them have been selected for international duty for their respective countries.

Scotland

Ryan Jack, John Souttar and Robby McCrorie

Given their long-stated injury records, fans would have preferred not to see Jack and Souttar in the Scotland squad given one match is a friendly with England.

However, for Souttar in particular, there is no question on his day that he is one of the best Scottish centre backs around, and hopefully these games will allow him to regain his form having struggled in the last couple of weeks.

For McCrorie, he made the squad as a late call-up following the drop out of Liam Kelly, and will be hoping to at least get some minutes in against England as he is unlikely to feature in Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Cyprus, especially given his lack of action for Rangers so far this season.

Wales

Rabbi Matondo

Having experienced a bit of a renaissance so far this campaign, Matondo is more than deserving of his place in the Wales squad for the friendly with Korea tonight followed by the qualifying tie with Latvia on Monday.

The pacey winger picked up the last of his 11 caps for his country against Holland back in June 2022.

Croatia

Borna Barisic

Despite failing a late fitness test for the Celtic game at the weekend, Barisic has been deemed fit enough to travel with the Croatia team for their Euro double header against Latvia and Armenia.

Croatia currently sit second in their qualifying group behind Turkey, with Borna in line to add to his 31 caps for this country so far, making him the joint second most experienced defender in the squad at present.

Ecuador

Jose Cifuentes

A long journey awaits for Cifuentes

as he needs to travel back to South America for a World Cup double header against Argentia and Uruguay.

The second of those games takes place on Tuesday, September 12, which should give him plenty of time to be back for next weekend’s match to Perth with St Johnstone.

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