D-day for Morelos as Gio holds crisis talks

RANGERS manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst will sit down with Alfredo Morelos today to thrash out the errant striker’s future.

Morelos was removed from the Dutchman’s first-team squad ahead of the Champions League qualifying win in Eindhoven last midweek, a consequence of fitness and attitude issues that led up to a red card at Easter Road last weekend.

That offence left the 26-year-old suspended for yesterday’s 4-0 win over Ross County, a result that rounded off a successful week for the club following qualification for the group stage of UEFA’s top competition.

Disciplinary issues have dogged Morelos during his five years at Ibrox — but earlier this summer

Van Bronckhorst confirmed the club were hopeful of entering talks to extend the contract of the club’s leading European goalscorer.

Now in the last year of his current deal, Morelos’ future remains cloudy, but manager Van Bronckhorst has hinted that he may yet have a role to play.

He said: ‘Morelos worked hard this week so I’ll sit down tomorrow (Sunday) and speak with him about his future.

‘He’s still our player, he knows what he has to do to become available again. The first week’s reaction he showed was very positive.’

In Morelos’s absence it again fell to Antonio Colak to fill the goalscoring void. The Croat has hit the ground running since arriving from Greek side PAOK Salonika this summer and took his tally for the season to seven with a double against County.

‘I’m happy with Antonio,’ added Van Bronckhorst. ‘He’s in a very good moment, the start he had for us has been fantastic.

‘We just have to make sure we keep pushing him and he keeps giving the performances we want.’

Before John Lundstram’s deflected strike gave Rangers the lead at Ibrox, the home team caught a break through referee Don Robertson’s decision not to send off the already booked James Sands for hauling down Jordy Hiwula in 15 minutes.

Van Bronckhorst himself took evasive action by substituting the American at half-time.

He added: ‘We already had James on a booking. I think it was a close call, it went our way. Sometimes it’s against you, sometimes it’s to your advantage.’

Rangers’ relentless programme of matches continues with Tuesday’s Premier Sports Cup tie at home to Queen of the South.

After Queens, Rangers face Celtic in a first derby of the season next Saturday before commencing their Champions League campaign proper with a return trip to the Netherlands to face Ajax.

With that in mind, Van Bronckhorst is likely to make several changes, saying: ‘The team has to develop so you will see more rotation.’