Rangers interim manager Graeme Murty has revealed that club captain Lee Wallace and central defender Fabio Cardoso are nearing a return to action, writes Graeme McGarry.
Wallace has been out of action since picking up a groin injury against Partick Thistle back in September, but he has been able to get back on the training pitch during the international break.
Cardoso meanwhile was one of eight first-team players who made the trip to Berwick Rangers last night to play in Steven Notman’s testimonial, as he steps up his recovery from a broken nose sustained against Motherwell in the Betfred Cup semi-final.
The Rangers boss also gave updates on the progress of Graham Dorrans, who looks unlikely to be involved against Hamilton this weekend, and Jordan Rossiter.
“Fabio trained on Monday and Tuesday and got into the whole session which is good after his nose operation,” Murty said.
“Dozza is going to see a specialist about his ankle this week and Jordan Rossiter is progressing well.
“Lee Wallace was out on the pitch over the weekend when other people had time off. He is back on the grass this week and doing some high-speed stuff and it is really good to see where he is.
“We are being quite patient and quite cautious with him because we don’t want to push it too soon.”
Liam Kelly, Lee Hodson, David Bates, Carlos Pena, Aaron Nemane, Eduardo Herrera and Dalcio were the other first-team squad members to make the trip to Shielfield Park, as Murty looks to get as much game-time under the belts of some of his fringe players as possible.
Nemane and Herrera played and scored last week also in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United under-23s, a match in which Bruno Alves also made an appearance.
“I got minutes for players who need game time against Man United, I need to see these players in games and they also need to play in games,” Murty said.
“I was a big believer as a player that I needed matches to be sharp, you could train as much as you wanted but I believed I was better as soon as I played a game.
“They need minutes, they need to be ready and if at any time we need to call upon one of these players who haven’t started a game I need to know they are physically in condition and their touch is right.
“I need to know they are in the right mode tactically and that they are playing the football I like.
“It is no good coming in and changing certain things for the first-team and then having guys who have never practiced that methodology and expecting them to do it and judging them on it because that isn’t fair.
“There will be people going to Berwick and not as punishment because I think sometimes footballers see it that way. It’s as an opportunity to go and get sharp, get fit and actually give me a problem.”
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