Times journalist slams Rangers over handling of Nathan Patterson
Times journalist Ewing Grahame has slammed Rangers for how they’ve dealt with proposed bans for the five players who broke COVID protocol earlier this year.
Rangers have appealed against the six-game bans that were dished out by the SFA to Nathan Patterson, Calvin Bassey, Bongani Zungu, Brian Kinnear and Dapo Medube.
Had the Gers not appealed, the bans would have started on Sunday when they played Cove Rangers in the Scottish Cup. However, as the four-match ban, with two games suspended, was appealed against, Patterson and Bassey were able to play in the 4-0 win over Cove with Patterson scoring his first domestic goal for the Gers.
Grahame has now suggested hypocrisy arising from Rangers and manager Steven Gerrard over the handling of Patterson, in particular.
Graheme wrote on The Times website: “Gerrard claimed at the time that he felt ‘let down’ by the players. Yet the club is appealing a six-game ban imposed by the Scottish Football Association on the guilty parties, with two of those matches suspended.”
He added: “Suggestions that Patterson should be treated lightly because he has talent will only enrage those who already believe footballers have been treated differently from the rest of society during the pandemic. Why should promise be taken into account when such irresponsible behaviour has the potential to infect others and extend the restrictions they broke?
“The idea that a young footballer’s evolution will be significantly hampered by missing four matches is risible too. At 19, Patterson has started seven games for Rangers and five of those came after the first-choice right back, leading goalscorer and club captain James Tavernier, suffered a knee injury on February 18. Should Tavernier, who has restarted training, recover in time for the Scottish Cup fourth-round tie against Celtic, will Patterson be selected ahead of him? And, if not, would that hold Patterson back?
“This is not a vendetta against the champions on the part of the SFA. Their players broke the law and the ruling body, by punishing them, is protecting football itself.”
Patterson in the firing line
We’re unsure why Rangers have appealed against the ban in all honesty, other than to delay the suspension for players like Patterson while Tavernier recovers from his injury.
Jordan Jones and George Edmundson were handed bigger bans earlier in the season and there was nothing really said in support of those whereas Patterson and co have done the same thing – they broke the rules.
If Tavernier didn’t get injured and if Patterson didn’t score that wonder goal against Antwerp in the Europa League, would the Gers be that bothered?
We have to agree with Grahame on the point that a short ban won’t impede Patterson’s career – that is quite an over-reaction by the Ibrox manager.
We don’t usually find ourselves disagreeing with Gerrard or the club here but there was such a massive outrage among Gers fans when these five players broke COVID protocol.
They put themselves, others, the club, the season and number 55 at risk with their antics. It was stupid – plain and simple.
Yes, they may have been banned internally but we should not expect the Gers to scale punishment depending upon how good and how important a player is.
In other Rangers news, this BBC pundit was made to eat his words after a bizarre prediction ahead of the Gers’ win over Cove.