Ianis Hagi caught up in ‘huge row’ in Romania as Rangers ace wows with God-given talent
Rangers star Ianis Hagi has been caught up in a “huge row” in Romania after his snub from the national team for their Euro 2024 qualifying matches last month.
Romania boss Edi Iordanescu left the attacker out of the squad for the matches against Andorra and Belarus amid a lack of playing time this season due to a serious knee injury.
But that omission caused anger from his father Gheorghe and indeed the Romanian FA, with the winger now reportedly guaranteed a spot in the next Romania squad.
“Romanian FA technical director Mihai Stoichita has overruled his national team boss to promise Ianis Hagi will return for his country in the next international window,” according to the Daily Record (page 54, 6 April).
“The Ibrox star was at the centre of a huge row in his homeland after manager Edi Iordanescu omitted him from his squad for the Euro 2024 double-header successes against Andorra and Belarus. That provoked Hagi’s famous father Gheorghe to bitterly complain about his son’s snub.
“However, technical director Stoichita has now intervened to guarantee Hagi will be in the squad for June games against Kosovo and Switzerland. He said: ‘We cannot dispute his talent and his gift from God. Three more months will pass until June and he will be even more ready.’”
Understandable omission
Hagi has played just five matches in all competitions this season for Rangers following his knee surgery, with the attacker playing just 86 minutes in those five matches.
He has been on a long road to recovery, and that road looks set to continue over the coming weeks and months as he aims to find his full fitness once again.
The winger will just be glad that he is back on the pitch, never mind lining up for his country in matches that they ultimately went on to win without him.
It will be difficult for Romania manager Iordanescu to ignore the criticism from legendary figure Gheorghe Hagi, but he definitely made the right decision in not calling up the Rangers winger for the recent matches.
Hagi is much better off training regularly at Ibrox and getting minutes in the Scottish Premiership than risking causing a serious issue by playing for his country.
In other Rangers news, one Scottish journalist cannot believe what Gers fans did at Ibrox against Dundee United on Saturday (1 April).