Kranjcar’s dad reveals his son’s injury torment

0 Greg Docherty prepares for this evening’s Ladbrokes Premiership match against St Johnstone. Europa League qualifiers in early July.

He said: “I loved going to Japan. It was a fantastic, lifeaffirming experience and it was really good to be away with a Scotland group and play some difficult games in different conditions.

“I’m really thankful football gave me the opportunity to experience that.

“Now I am on the other side of it. I think we need to have conversations and make sure, first and foremost, that the players are protected.

“We need to have ongoing discourse to make sure their physiological needs and wants are met. But I’m certain that, as long as those are outlined, the national team has the skills and mindset necessary to fulfil both their needs as a national team and our needs as a club side.” Niko Kranjcar will consider his footballing future at the end of the season, according to his father.

The Rangers midfielder has become a bit-part player recently for the Ibrox side and has featured just once this year – in the 3-0 Scottish Cup win at Fraserburgh.

He recovered from a serious knee injury last season and played in the last Old Firm game in December, but is well down the pecking ordersincemanagergraeme Murty received an influx of new blood in January.

He’s out of contract at the end of the season and his father Zlatko Kranjcar – the legendary former Dinamo Zagreb and Croatia boss – has revealed that the 33-year-old ex-tottenham player is struggling.

He said: “After his major injury, he still gets a lot of pain in his knee. He still suffers from water in the knee.

“But he is still under contract with Rangers. You would have to ask him whether he will continue when his contract expires in the summer.

“He was out for almost nine months and when he played since coming back, he played well. But frankly, it is more and more difficult for him.”