Rangers fans have been casting an anxious eye over the international break in the hope that all their players return from representing their countries ready to take on Celtic, with The Daily Record reporting on the fitness of an integral member of Steven Gerrard’s squad.
With their Old Firm rivals seeing players dropping on an almost daily basis, the biggest concern so far has been how many minutes Gers stars are playing with such a big game at the weekend, and none more so than Steven Davis with the 35-year old a key figure for both club and country.
The record breaking midfielder has been pivotal this season, his influence refusing to wain despite his advancing years, but he has given some words of encouragement for those panicking about his country’s insistence on playing him in every game:
“I’ll leave that up to the management team to make that decision.
“I think if you go over the course of the season I’m not going to play 60 games and at times you make that decision. But in terms of how I feel, I feel good.
“I felt good after playing extra-time in Bosnia last week and I felt good for the Austria match as well.
“Of course, whenever you’re away with Northern Ireland you always want to play.
“Maybe as you get older you should think about that a little bit more. But every game you’re involved in, you want to play – there’s no doubt about that.”
Davis is the proverbial “model professional”, however, there will come a point where he has to make a decision between club and country, with such a big fixture at the weekend, the last thing his body would need is to play four games in the space of ten days.
Should Davis retire from international duty?
Yes
No
The Gers gaffer shouldn’t have to look ahead to the international break and manage Davis’s game time in case he plays every minute when he is away, although the addition of Bongani Zungu should allow him greater flexibility in the middle of the park in the coming weeks and months.
The 121-cap veteran has been in great form so far this season and Gerrard will be keeping his fingers crossed that he returns to Achenhowie unscathed, if he needs one, he can get a rest after the final whistle on Saturday but you won’t hear the man himself asking for time off anytime soon, such is his desire to lead his side to success.