GAME FOR A LAFF
O’Neill KOs Kyle from Rangers squad to face Accies but keeps door open for Irish recall
NORTHERN IRELAND boss Michael O’Neill will hold talks with Kyle Lafferty and the Rangers management that could yet save the striker’s international career.
The Irish FA yesterday confirmed Record Sport’s exclusive they had informed Rangers they were invoking a FIFA rule that means he will miss Sunday’s trip to
Hamilton. The rule prevents a player who has pulled out of international duty from playing for his club for five days after the end of the international window.
It is an unusual step by the IFA bigwigs but along with O’Neill they felt it was a decision that had to be taken.
Lafferty, concerned about an Achilles problem, had called the Irish boss around midnight to withdraw from their Nations League games against Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina when the squad were due to meet up the next day.
O’Neill was fuming but it is understood he is not willing to write off the frontman just yet.
He will speak to Lafferty and if the 31-year-old proves his commitment he could be back in the squad for next month’s doubleheader against the Republic of Ireland and Austria or play a part in the Euro 2020 qualifiers, which begin in March.
O’Neill has a good relationship with Steven Gerrard’s No.2 Gary McAllister and is expected to speak to the Ibrox management about Lafferty and the decision to bring FIFA’s rule into play.
Since taking charge in 2011 O’Neill has been keen to work with club managers and wants to do the same with Gers boss Gerrard.
A statement released by the IFA said they had written to Rangers and added: “As the player did not comply with the Association’s call-up, the player is in breach and as a result the Association is invoking the FIFA regulation.”