CARELESS!
Gerrard unhappy with Clarke over Jack injury
STEVEN GERRARD last night took aim at Steve Clarke after Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack returned from Scotland duty injured. The Ibrox anchor man is a doubt for tomorrow’s Premiership clash with Livingston after a carefully-managed knee condition flared up during a double training session with Scotland, which took place 48 hours after Jack had played for 90 minutes against Celtic.
Sportsmail understands the decision to hold a double training session was made by manager Clarke and not the fitness or sports science staff. Insisting that they should have taken more care, a seething Gerrard has
yet to raise the issue personally with Clarke. Unable to contain his anger, however, he said: ‘Unfortunately Ryan was asked to do an 11k session two days after an Old Firm (derby), which made his knee flare up. ‘So we have had to manage him, he has had to have a couple of procedures since. ‘I think it’s just careless. You should never, ever do 11k two days after playing 90 minutes. That’s the education I’ve had. ‘Ryan’s got a knee issue that he manages and he has done for a long time. ‘The SFA are aware of that, their fitness coach is aware of that. I think everyone in Scotland watched the Old Firm and saw Ryan play 90 minutes. And then 48 hours afterwards, he did a double session.’ Having criticised Croatia when Borna Barisic returned injured from international duty last season, Gerrard believes managers are duty bound to take care of the players they are effectively loaned by clubs. ‘When my players are called up I am proud because you feel part of it as their coach,’ he said. ‘I watched Scotland v Belgium and I wanted Scotland to win because you see all the players you are competing against. ‘I am part of Scottish football now and I want to help in any way I can. But when I get the email through to say that Ryan Jack has dropped out because his knee has flared up because he has had two training sessions on the second day of recovery, I couldn’t believe it. It was total shock. ‘I haven’t spoken to Ryan about it. I am too annoyed to speak to him about it. It is what it is and we have to move on.’