Ahead of this summer’s European Championship, Scotland need all of their players in their best form if they want to have any chance of what could be termed a successful tournament.
Although he’s just 19 years of age, Nathan Patterson has been hitting all of the right notes for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side.
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Moving towards the business end of the campaign the teenager would’ve been looking to cement a place in the Scotland squad, which is something that Gerrard clearly believed was on the cards.
However, according to the Daily Mirror, the Scottish Football Association have handed Patterson and four other players six-game bans for breaking coronavirus protocols back in February.
That hasn’t gone down well at all with his manager.
“I’m not too happy over that and I’m not sure Steve Clarke will be very happy as well,” Gerrard was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.
“Because, unfortunately, he’s going to have a big ban now. Nathan is growing and growing. It’s a shame that he’s going to miss games moving forward.
“[The appeal] is something we’re still discussing at the moment. We’re in talks with the SFA over a date.
“The reason for the appeal is we think it’s harsh in terms of what went on on the night.
“I think everyone assumes because of what happened with Jordan Jones and George Edmundson that everything is the same, which isn’t the case.
“We don’t think everything has been taken into consideration when you are talking about the boys in terms of age and how damaging it could be for them in their careers moving forward now.
“You’re talking about one of the brightest prospects ever in terms of right-back.
“This kid is going to go and play for Scotland and all of a sudden the SFA wants to ban him for that long. I don’t get it.”
It’s clear that the club believe an appeal because of the mitigating circumstances could be successful.
In any event, it’s a real body blow for the player who looked to be in the form of his life and ready to hand Scotland manager, Steve Clarke, a real conundrum.