Clubsarebig losersfrom internationals

PEDRO CAIXINHA admits clubs will always lose out no matter the scheduling of international fixtures as Rangers get set to return to domestic action this week.

The Light Blues make the trip to St Johnstone on Friday night as they play their first competitive fixture in a fortnight and look to build on the win over Hamilton last time out.

Caixinha had planned to take his side to Canada during the shutdown but the Eusebio Cup tie against Benfica fell through at the last minute.

Championship side Morton provided

the opposition for the Gers instead as they played a bounce game at Auchenhowie on Saturday in a bid to keep ticking over before the Saints clash.

Now Rangers will look to hit the ground running as they attempt to build some momentum in the Premiership after the second top- flight break.

Fifa have launched a consultation process to gather opinions on the structure of the fixture list and a possible change to the timing of international fixtures.

There are currently four fortnight long breaks throughout the campaign but Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho and Arsenal gaffer Arsene Wenger have recently been critical of the fact that domestic matches have again come to a halt this term.

The dates of the international breaks are fixed for another seven years, unless stakeholders – clubs, leagues and broadcasters – agree to change the status quo.

Fifa will discuss a plan to introduce longer but fewer shutdowns throughout the season in a bid to keep clubs and managers onside.

But Gers boss Caixinha reckons there is no perfect schedule that will satisfy the demands of domestic sides and international teams.

“It is a bit [frustrating]. But you need to adapt,” he told RangersTV. “Football is changing so the calendar needs to change as well.

“But the biggest teams normally have players more involved in the national team processes. So you cannot count with those players.

“That is one reality if it goes that way. I don’t agree sometimes with the way things are organised and by the end the one that loses is always the club.

“We should not forget that the players belong to the club, they do not belong to the national teams.

“But it is the way things are organised and we need to know how to deal with it.

“Maybe we need to be more stuck with the plans to organise everything if things are going in that direction.”