Alex McLeish reacts to SFA bans for Rangers players breaching COVID protocols – Exclusive
We’re delighted to welcome former Rangers manager Alex McLeish as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Ibrox…
Alex McLeish was left shocked by the SFA’s decision to hand bans to the five Rangers players who breached COVID-19 protocols.
Nathan Patterson, Bongani Zungu and Calvin Bassey have been banned for six games, but with two of those suspended, they will only miss four outings.
McLeish didn’t want to see any punishments handed out, but admitted that the players needed to be made an example of to prevent further breaches.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, McLeish said, “I don’t really like to see the players punished at all really.
“I guess that society has to make an example of them, and the ban, no one knows what to do because of the pandemic, so they don’t really have a clue what to do.
“The good thing is, these guys can continue their lives and their careers again after this. For me, that was very, very important.”
Lenient.
Given that Jordan Jones and George Edmundson were handed seven-game bans, these five could count themselves very lucky.
It appears strange that two games of the six-match bans were suspended, but that may be down to the seriousness of the breach.
Jones and Edmundson were at a party at the height of the pandemic, compared to these five, who were only with their partners and their teammates; people in the same bubble.
That still doesn’t make it acceptable.
Steven Gerrard will have sent a stern warning to his players, and they must use this to learn from their mistakes and push forward in their careers.
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