Jack doubt for Scotland after fresh calf injury

RYAN JACK’S Scotland woes are set to continue with the Rangers midfielder emerging as a major doubt for the forthcoming double header against Russia and San Marino after spending last night undergoing a scan on a calf problem picked up during the Europa League defeat against Young Boys in Bern.

The 27-year-old, at the centre of a clubversus-country row after succumbing to injury during a double Scotland training session during the previous get-together, seemed in line for a major role in Moscow but Steve Clarke will almost certainly have to think again with the player (above) definitely out of the Ibrox side’s home meeting with Hamilton tomorrow.

While Clarke could opt to keep him around the squad for the meeting with San Marino in eight days’ time, much will depend on the results of the scan which the former Aberdeen midfielder was undergoing last night. The injury is not connected to an ongoing knee problem which Jack has been managing for some time but the international week would offer valuable breathing space for him to get back to 100 per cent.

“There is definitely a problem in there which means that he will be ruled out for us and then depending what the outcome is, we’ll see whether or not he needs to pull out of international duty too,” said Gerrard. “Hopefully that’s not going to be the case.

“He has worked so hard and he is in great form so it would have been nice for him to go away with Scotland. It is his calf but right at the very top and the very back. It is nothing to do with the knee issue that he manages. I am no doctor or medic .... but if there is muscle damage in there I am sure he will be pulled out but it could just be a little bit of a flush and a scan is the only thing that will confirm that.”

While losing the midfielder for the meeting with Hamilton Accies is a blow, Gerrard is delighted with the player, who he hopes to t ie down on an extended contract imminently.

“He and his advisors are in talks with the club about that [a new contract],” he said. “Hopefully there will be some developments with that over the coming weeks because he deserves to be rewarded.”

Meanwhile, Feyenoord midfielder Leroy Fer has warned Rangers they will be destroyed in De Kuip just like Porto because they will wilt in the atmosphere.

The Dutch side put themsleves back in contention in the Europa League, following their opening-day defeat at Ibrox, after an impressive 2-0 home win against Porto.

Rangers have to travel to Rotterdam for the penultimate game in the group and former Swansea City man Fer reckons Porto won’t be the only team unable to cope with the special atmosphere of the ground.

He said: “What won us the game ws the fans and the atmosphere inside De Kuip. When you see the stadium jumping like that, no one can cope with it.

“We still have Rangers and Young Boys to come here and it will be the same. It gives us a massive advantage as you saw against Porto.

“That win has put us back in with a chance of qualifying.”