Gers fail in bid to reverse Irish FA’s Lafferty decision

Rangers have failed to persuade Northern Ireland chiefs to release Kyle Lafferty for action against Hamilton on Sunday.

The Light Blues held talks with the Irish Football Association (IFA) after it invoked Fifa’s five-day rule in the aftermath of the striker’s last-minute withdrawal from Michael O’Neill’s squad ahead of last week’s crunch Nations League double-header against Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Gers had hoped to talk round their IFA counterparts to enable Lafferty to face Accies.

But they did not succeed and manager Steven Gerrard will now have to send out his side without the frontman.

However, Rangers say the IFA’s move will not stop the former Norwich and Hearts striker playing a part for O’Neill in future.

The Ibrox club said: “Rangers can confirm Kyle Lafferty will not be available for the match against Hamilton on Sunday after the Irish FA invoked Fifa’s five-day rule.

“Talks have now been held among all parties and Rangers understands the position of the Irish FA.

“Kyle did not comply fully with international protocol but remains available for international selection.”

Lafferty called O’Neill at midnight the night before he was due to meet up with the national team to say he would not be travelling.

While Lafferty blamed the move on a long-standing Achilles complaint, O’Neill was left furious.

IFA bosses responded by triggering the seldom-used regulation which allows national associations to bar a player – turning down a call-up – from representing their club during an international window as well as a subsequent fiveday period.

O’Neill’s side lost both matches – going down 1-0 away to Austria before 1 2-0 reverse at Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kyle Lafferty: Denied permission to play