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.