'It's agonising' - Injury expert drops fresh claim on Rangers 'leader' after latest setback

Ben Dinnery expects Rangers to manage Ryan Jack ‘carefully’ after an ‘agonising’ injury setback. 

Giovanni van Bronckhorst had to withdraw the 29-year-old after 68 minutes of the Premiership clash with Hearts earlier this month when he hurt his ankle. That was the Scotsman’s first start in almost a year after persistent troubles with his calf.

Jack has missed two matches in the mantime – the 2-0 league win over Hibernian and the 3-0 Scottish Cup victory over Annan Athletic – but Van Bronckhorst is optimistic of a relatively swift return.

Despite the manager’s confidence, injury expert Dinnery has said that while the injury doesn’t appear to be a ‘massive problem’, Rangers will be wary that it could have greater ‘repercussions’ coming off the back of such a lengthy lay-off.

He told Football Insider: “From what we know, the ankle injury itself isn’t too sinister. But it’s everything else that has gone on previously with Ryan Jack that might mean the club want to manage him more carefully.

“He has spent around eight or nine months out with a calf problem. Since returning in November, his minutes have been very limited.

“It’s agonising for a player when all you want to do is get back into the rhythm again but you pick up little niggles.

“When you put context around this, this issue wouldn’t be a massive problem for most players. But when we talk about an ankle problem that sets you back for around three games on the back of nine months out, the repercussions are greater.”

The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell believes that, when he is fit, the 29-year-old is ‘one of the first names’ on the team sheet. Indeed, former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard once hailed the Scotland international as a “leader” in the squad.

Indeed, Jack produced an