McKay heads towards exit

Ibrox: Caixinha drops 22-year-old midfielder for first-round qualifying tie

Barrie McKay’s Rangers future has been plunged into fresh doubt after manager Pedro Caixinha dropped the midfielder from his team to face Progres Niederkorn in the Europa League qualifier at Ibrox tonight.

Gers will stage their first European match in six years when they host the Luxembourgers. But Scotland international McKay will not feature after Caixinha confirmed the player had been sent to train with the club’s under-20s.

The Portuguese coach admitted last season he was concerned by the 22-year-old’s attitude after several lethargic displays.

McKay could be about to follow Andy Halliday, who has now completed a 12-month loan switch to Azerbaijani club Qabala, out of the club having already knocked back Gers’ offer of a new contract.

McKay is free to talk to clubs in January but Caixinha shrugged off the incident as he held his first prematch press conference of the new campaign, insisting he only wanted to discuss positive matters.

The Gers manager – who also refused to address questions about why he had left Rob Kiernan, Michael O’Halloran, Joe Dodoo, Harry Forrester and Matt Crooks out of his Europa League squad – said: “The list is already out, so I think McKay is not in the squad.”

The Rangers manager was pushed for an explanation on why the Scotland international had been banished from his first team but he merely said: “Nothing, he is not in the squad. The under-20s were off so he is not training today.

“I’m not focusing on that situation. I’m focusing on tomorrow’s match. We’re really happy all the players, regarding to the plan we have for this season, are working hard.

“They are anxious in a good way to start with a sold-out stadium and enjoy it with our supporters.

“I don’t care about the situation with McKay. Those problems are part of our lives, our work and our decisions but I don’t want to talk about it now.”

McKay’s absence will concern a significant number of Gers supporters who worry their club does not do enough to make the most of the talent produced at the Auchenhowie academy.

All 50,000 tickets for tonight’s match have gone and Caixinha knows it is now down to his side to keep that positive vibe.

The manager said four of his new arrivals will start but he is confident they can make the difference.

“It’s not only me who is looking forward to the game,” he said. “The stadium is already sold out so all the club is enthusiastic about this return to Europe after six years.

“We hope to give to the supporters a fantastic match. It has been too much time waiting for this moment and we want to deliver a good team.”