For this particular Bear, the issue could not be any clearer: no Rangers player should put himself at risk by playing in International friendlies for any team. I would also extend that further by saying no Rangers player should be allowed to play International football at all but am realistic enough to know that that is a highly unlikely scenario albeit one I would very much welcome.
However, a ban on Rangers players taking part in meaningless kickabouts is surely something that can be considered by the Club. Why on earth should players open themselves to risk of injury and thereby jeopardising their Club's chances of success because of a pointless fixture that is utterly meaningless? International football is fast becoming an anachronism, an out-dated concept as Club football becomes an ever-more globally competed sport.
In these days where Rangers players are on astronomical wages it is absurd that they can be placed in a position where they can lose months of a season through injury in playing for the Scottish National side. Of course, they are at risk of injury while playing for Rangers but it is surely a necessity to minimise that risk of harm and that must involve their withdrawal from the International scene.
I do realise that this will be anathema to plenty among the Rangers support who still follow the National team as plenty of us did not too long ago. However, times change and now, players¹ first and only loyalty must be to the Clubs who pay their wages.
Of course we should never lose sight of the past and I am immensely proud of what Rangers players contributed to the Scottish team in years gone by: George Young captaining Scotland for a record number of games; John Greig scoring the goal at Hampden against Italy in the 60s; Davie Cooper's peerless performance against Brazil in the 1980s; Alan Morton playing for the Wembley Wizards, The list is endless but these are not the days of Young, Greig, or Morton. These are the days where players are paid galactic sums of money to perform for their Club and days where International football plays a part in the lives an ever-decreasing number of supporters.
To illustrate my point: The SFA, in their infinite wisdom, organised a friendly against those giants of football, Canada, at the Leith Maracana aka Easter Road. Let's say Barry Ferguson suffered a bad injury during that game that rules him out for the season. Rangers will have lost their Captain and one of their most influential players through a game that meant nothing and taught nothing to anybody. The risk is simply too great. To progress in football, we Rangers - must give ourselves every advantage and one way of doing this is to ensure that our players are not exposed to the dangers of injury through playing games that hardly anybody cares about.
The English FA have shown a great deal of common sense in agreeing to not play International friendlies this season; would it be asking too much for the SFA to follow suit?
Lest anybody think this is an anti-Scottish National team rant, it isn't. While I don't wish them any particular misfortune, I don't get too excited or bothered whether they win or lose.
For this Bear it's Rangers and Rangers alone.
AYRSHIRE BILLY BOY