Rangers News: McLeish issues verdict on Steven Davis comeback after new twist
Alex McLeish has suggested Steven Davis may be close to returning from his injury layoff at Rangers despite being sidelined against Red Star Belgrade.
The former Gers manager, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the 37-year-old would not have been called up to the Northern Ireland squad without being given the green light by Ibrox staff.
As confirmed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst on Wednesday (16 March), Davis is set to miss the second leg against Red Star Belgrade through injury.
However, the veteran midfielder has been named in the Northern Ireland squad for the upcoming international break.
Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough, as quoted by the Daily Record (14 March), stated he’s “not been told he (Davis) won’t be fit” after “small” calf and thigh issues.
McLeish insisted the midfielder must be close to fitness if Rangers are willing to let him travel.
“Only if he is fit will he be allowed to go,” McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge.
“I know that international teams, normally, they flag up an amber flag two or three weeks before the squad is announced.
“That’s because the national team would check up with Rangers, their physios, their sports scientists, in advance.
“We did it all the time. Sometimes we’d get a wee warning and think: ‘God, surely we’re not going to be without him.’
“Sometimes it was good news, sometimes it was bad. Let’s hope it’s good news for both Northern Ireland and Rangers.
“You can see with some indifferent results, you’ll hear people saying: ‘Why’s Ramsey not playing?’ and ‘We Could have done with Davis. Davis would not have allowed us to lose points like that.‘
“That’s the type of value that he has to that club. He’ll only go if he’s fit. We also want to see him in a Rangers jersey.“
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