I never had a chance
MATT McKAY found himself pining for Scotland last week, which was ironic given that he spent six months wishing he had never set foot in the place. A recent i njury denied the Australian the chance to take his place among his compatriots for the international friendly at Easter Road and the midfielder admits he was gutted not to have the chance to catch up with his former Rangers team-mates Allan McGregor and Steven Naismith.
Such friendships are just about the only positive legacy of McKay’s short spell at Ibrox, where he spent most of his time watching from the stands and wondering why Ally McCoist had bothered to bring him to the club in the first place.
Amid the tumult of Craig Whyte’s ruinous ownership of Rangers, McKay’s spell i n Govan was particularly baffling. Secured from Brisbane Roar last August, McKay arrived as a proven internationalist who had just been voted Australia’s Player of the Year.
Yet, while the resoundingly unsuccessful Juanma Ortiz and Alejandro Bedoya (both signed during the same window) each comfortably made it into double figures, McKay appeared just three times for Rangers.
Having picked up his career with South Korean outfit Busan I’Park, to whom he was sold shortly after Whyte placed the club into administration on February 14, McKay can afford to look back philosophically on his ill-fated move.
He said: ‘When I came to Korea, I knew I would have to be patient but I’ve adapted and think I have made the transition well. As an Australian, I’m kind of on my own but it’s a good club and Busan is a great city — I’m enjoying my time here more than I ever did in Glasgow. For whatever reason, I just didn’t fit in at Rangers.
‘I don’t harbour any hard feelings or bitterness but I really don’t know why it didn’t work out for me. I just didn’t get an opportunity to play. In the games where I was involved, I didn’t think I played too badly. season in which they were toiling for results long before the onset of administration.
‘It was frustrating because I felt there were games in which I could have made a contribution,’ said the 29-year-old. ‘There was some good football played in the Old Firm games and I also thought Kilmarnock were good with the ball, too. I could have made a contribution there.
‘It was totally the wrong move for me. It was a period of my career which didn’t offer anything positive.’
Even so, McKay made extra sure to prise himself from his bed at 4am on Thursday morning to watch a live internet stream of the Scotland game as it kicked off in the capital.
‘It was decided I’d miss this game because I’m not long back from an abdominal strain I picked up in a game against Japan on June 12,’ he explained. ‘It took longer than expected to heal.
‘It would have been nice to fly over and catch up with guys like Naisy and Allan McGregor, who were good team-mates. It would also have been nice to get the chance to show the Scottish public what I can do because they never did see me at my best.’
McKay watched from afar in disbelief as Rangers’ liquidation led to the club having to start afresh and apply for membership of the Scottish Football League. Third Division football is now a reality for McCoist and his players and McKay hopes Rangers’ demise does not simply result in a Celtic monopoly.
‘What’s happened at Rangers has upset a lot of people but I’m sure the club will be back there at the top within the next decade or so,’ he said.
‘I just hope Celtic don’t go on to dominate totally. There are other clubs who have shown they can perform and I hope they can mount a challenge.
‘For Scottish football’s sake, I hope a challenger emerges because the game has to keep evolving.’