Murty: Nice and kneesy does it for Ryan
Rangers boss Graeme Murty has spoken about his concern for Ryan Jack, as the midfielder battles back from a kneecartilage injury.
The f o r mer Ab e rd e e n captain underwent surgery after being hurt during a game against Motherwell in December.
Jack is making slow progress and is unlikely to feature again this season.
Murty said: “He’s following a very boring protocol that means he’s not going to be weight-bearing at the moment.
“It’s something we have to be very cautious and patient with.
“We’re being conservative after the surgery because we believe that is vital to make sure we get Ryan back at the very top of his form and his fitness.
“We’re hopeful he might play this season, but it is very unlikely.
“It’s a blow for us because he’d been doing really well.
“It’s also a blow for him. He was desperate to come to us and he’s had a significant setback.”
Players saying they’d like to move on isn’t often music to the ears of a manager, but Murty is heartened to hear Alfredo Morelos declare his desire to play in England.
That ambition, Murty believes, will encourage him to stay with Rangers instead of making a move to China.
He said: “If he wants to go and do that, he’s got things to do here that will bring that closer to being a reality.
“The thing with him is that he wants to be on the pitch, scoring goals.
“I think his last few performances have shown he’s a real asset to the team.
“He’s shown good enthusiasm, good quality and that predatory instinct that we love. At the moment, fatigue hasn’t become an issue.
“We want ambitious players here – players that are hungry to get to that next level.
“We’ve just signed new contracts with Josh Windass and James Tavernier, who want to go and play at the highest level.
“They understand his environment gives them a fantastic platform.
“We play are in front of masses of people at home. Our fans travel in their thousands away and we get fantastic coverage in the media.”