Rangers star set for brutal summer blow as difficult conversations required over ruthless decision


Steve Clarke has now made his decision on which players to cut from his Euro 2024 squad ahead of the competition kicking off in one week’s time.
Scotland are back in action on Friday night when they take on Finland in their final warm-up friendly ahead of heading to Germany for next week’s opener with the hosts.
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Hide AdAhead of the trip to Germany, Clarke has decided which players he will axe from his extended squad, with nations only allowed to submit squads of 26. The number was previously 24 but UEFA decided to allow nations to take two extra players for this tournament.
Still, that extension has not been enough to save Rangers defender John Souttar and Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon. Both players have been told they have not made the cut, with Souttar having struggled with injury over recent weeks, although he has been training with the team.
"I’ve reached a decision. I haven’t had the conversation,” Clarke has said. Asked about the difficulty of the decisions, he added: "Almost impossible, but that’s my job. I have to do it. It won’t be nice, it won’t be easy, but we’ll deal with that between now and the the deadline."
Souttar made 41 appearances across all competitions for Rangers this season, but his fitness combined with competition at centre-back has seen him miss out. The decision indicates that Liam Cooper is still in the mix despite picking up an injury scare in the first friendly.
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Hide AdMeanwhile, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly and Zander Clark will be the goalkeepers who make the cut, with Gordon missing out. Clarke has had to deal with injury issues aplenty ahead of the Euros, with Aaron Hickey, Nathan Patterson and Lewis Ferguson all picking up injuries, while Lyndon Dykes and Ben Doak have also dropped out. Tommy Conway and Lewis Morgan have been called up as a result.
Scotland won 2-0 against Gibraltar in their opening friendly, but Clarke is glad he has seen the creative issues this side of the Euro 2024 opener.
"Shanks didn't really have any clear-cut chances where you are thinking 'go on, he's getting there'," he said after the game. "It's maybe something we need to look at - his positioning, especially on set-plays, where he was maybe too far out from the centre of goal. There are always things you can look at. What can we do about it? Keep practising in training."
He added: "Don't forget these players are nervous. "They have the biggest tournament coming up for the country next week. They all have half a mind on Germany already. It sounds terrible to say that, but that's just the way it is. It's natural.
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Hide Ad"They want to go on the plane flying to Germany for the Euros and they are involved in what's going to be a fantastic tournament in the summer, so you have to make allowances for that. People won't think of that. They just think of the excitement, etc. But, until you are actually on the plane and on the way to Germany, there is always a doubt in the back of your mind."
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