Jack’s a doubt for Scotland double header

RANGERS midfielder Ryan Jack is a doubt for Scotland’s upcoming Euro 2020 qualifying double-header against Russia and San Marino. The Ibrox player will miss tomorrow’s visit of Hamilton Accies in the Premiership after limping out of Thursday night’s 2-1 Europa League loss to Young Boys in Switzerland with a sore calf. It is a separate issue from the knee problem that sparked a recent row between Steven Gerrard and the SFA — with the Rangers boss branding the governing body ‘careless’ in their treatment of Jack during the last international break. While Gerrard is keen for Jack to represent his country, if scans confirm there has been muscle damage then Rangers won’t allow the 27-year-old to join up with Steve Clarke’s squad. Gerrard said: ‘There is definitely a problem in there which means that Ryan Jack will be ruled out of the Hamilton game and then we will see whether or not he needs to pull out of international duty. ‘Hopefully that’s not going to be the case. Ryan has worked so hard and he is in great form so it would have been nice for him to go away with Scotland. ‘It’s not in relation to the knee issue he manages. It is his calf but right at the very top and very back. ‘I am no doctor or medic but I predict that he has a small problem on his calf. ‘If there is muscle damage in there I am sure he will be pulled out, but it could also just be a little bit of a flush. ‘A scan is the only thing that will confirm that for sure.’ Gerrard admits that losing Jack for this weekend’s game isa big blow after a run of form that saw the club enter talks to sign the former Aberdeen captain on an improved deal. ‘I can’t speak highly enough of Ryan,’ Gerrard said. ‘I have been working with him for the last 16 or 17 months and every single day his standards are so high.

‘He is so consistent in training. He wants to be the best trainer every day.

‘He does everything in the gym, he eats well, and his standards are generally so high that it is no surprise his standards are so high on the pitch.

‘That’s because normally when you do everything right in terms of preparation off the pitch then it comes out on the pitch. That is what has happened with Ryan.

‘I mentioned a few weeks ago about us offering Ryan a new deal which he thoroughly deserves.

‘Ryan and his advisors are in talks with the club about that and hopefully there will be some development with that over the coming weeks because he deserves to be rewarded.’

Fellow midfielder Joe Aribo has a small chance of making his return tomorrow after suffering a head injury in the Betfred Cup win over Livingston.

Aribo missed Rangers’ last two games but Gerrard says he has an outside chance of playing some role.

Hamilton striker George Oakley is available for the Ibrox clash after serving a one-game ban following his sending-off at St Mirren. And he admits he was shocked by the first red card of his career.

Oakley picked up two bookings and a suspension from referee David Munro. He was amazed when he received a second yellow card after making little contact with Saints defender Sean McLoughlin.

‘It was a shock,’ said the former Inverness forward. ‘I actually really didn’t know what to say.

‘As the game is going the ref has to make a decision on what he’s seen and what he saw I don’t know.

‘Obviously I watched it. I hadn’t seen it before I watched Sportscene. I’d seen a picture, but they (the pundits) were saying they were shocked.

‘I was shocked but you can’t do anything about it. If it was a straight red then maybe we could (appeal) but two yellows you can’t.

‘That’s the first red card in my career. It was a hard one to take but I can’t change that now.

‘I really didn’t know what I did but you can’t dwell on it. It’s gone and I’ve served my game ban and now I’m just looking forward to the next game, which is obviously a big one against Rangers.

‘It was hard to sit out. I hate sitting out games, and it was harder when you know you can play.’

The 23-year-old Accies hitman insists he will not change his style.

He said: ‘I’m going to keep doing what I do best and obviously try to help the team. I’m not going to stop doing what I do up there, keep throwing myself about and do the best for myself and the team.

‘I’m just going to keep doing what I do and, if I get another red for it, I get another red for it.’

Oakley is excited about the Ibrox challenge.

‘I haven’t been to Ibrox before so it’s going to be a good experience,’ he added.