Eros Grezda has been sent home from the Albania squad

[ian1964 10,761]

Rangers’ summer signing Eros Grezda has been sent home from the Albania squad because of concerns over his ankle.

The Ibrox club forked out £2million on the international winger from Osijek, but he hasn't played since May after sustaining an injury on international duty.

Grezda was supposed to play against Israel tonight in the opening Nations League clash before travelling to Scotland to face Alex McLeish's men in the first ever game between the two nations at Hampden on Monday.

But the Balkan nation's manager Christian Panucci has sent the Rangers player home from the camp because he didn't think he was fit enough to play any part in either game
Grezda originally picked up the ankle injury last March and although he returned to play for Osijek at the end of last season, the injury flared up again and he hasn't kicked a ball this season, including their two Europa League games against Steven Gerrard's side.

And he will now return to Glasgow to get Rangers' doctors to assess his ankle in a bid to speed up his recovery process.

 

 

 

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,806]

Ballacks. Was really looking forward to seeing him. Hope we don't have another Prodan on our hands

[Uilleam 5,960]

Hopefully not a Prodan moment. 

 

 

[MacK1950 2,399]

This should have been known when signing him and hopefully a cancellation clause inserted if the injury proves to be career threatening.

[buster. 5,257]

Found it strange he got into the squad given he hasn't played any football this season.

 

These are the last games he played for Osijek and Albania (number = minutes played)

 

 

13-05-18	Hajduk Split	1 - 1	Osijek	65
09-05-18	Osijek	3 - 1	Cibalia	62
05-05-18	Inter Zaprešić	1 - 0	Osijek	24
03-04-18	Lokomotiva Zagreb	1 - 1	Osijek	35

 

26-03-18

Albania

0 - 1

Norway

90

 

18-03-18	Osijek	3 - 3	Hajduk Split	90
14-03-18	Osijek	1 - 1	Inter Zaprešić	90
11-03-18	Cibalia	1 - 1	Osijek	90
17-02-18	Osijek	2 - 1	Rijeka	90
10-02-18	Osijek	2 - 4	Dinamo Zagreb	90

 

 

If the report is to believed, sounds like he further damaged it training for Albania. 

 

Edit

It appears that the game on 3/4/2018 was when it 'flared up' given that he started the game but was taken off after 35 minutes.

 

He was out for a month, came back and played a little then missed the beginning of the season.

He may of came back too soon and done some damage.

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2018 by buster.

[aweebluesoandso 290]

Wishful thinking in the Albanian managers decision to include him in the squad in the first place, the guy hasn't kicked a ball in months?

[stewarty 2,060]

Its a worry that he is clearly not fit but surely if the club were not satisfied that he was ready to play a part in their squad we would have held him back?  I know there is a process in terms of international team medics evaluating an injury, but I'm not sure how relevant that is when its just a couple of friendlies they are playing.

[buster. 5,257]

16 minutes ago, stewarty said:

Its a worry that he is clearly not fit but surely if the club were not satisfied that he was ready to play a part in their squad we would have held him back?  I know there is a process in terms of international team medics evaluating an injury, but I'm not sure how relevant that is when its just a couple of friendlies they are playing.

If he got the ok from our medical examination to sign then he'd have surely went to the Albanian training camp and started to train.

 

I reckon he must have got injured at training.

 

Given timescale from earlier in year  (out for a month). I wonder if it was a grade 2 sprain that hasn't healed properly. I'm not a doctor but have had similar problems.

Edited September 7, 2018 by buster.

[Gaffer 1,665]

This is a non story - yes, another one.

 

His injury was well documented and Gerrard has even spoken about how we get him back to fitness.  I think that it's quite normal for a player to go with the squad, to be assessed by the national team's doctors and then returned.  It happens all the time but once again the press is trying to portray a negative slant on an exciting signing.

 

Same old, same old.  Next!

[stewarty 2,060]

12 minutes ago, Gaffer said:

This is a non story - yes, another one.

 

His injury was well documented and Gerrard has even spoken about how we get him back to fitness.  I think that it's quite normal for a player to go with the squad, to be assessed by the national team's doctors and then returned.  It happens all the time but once again the press is trying to portray a negative slant on an exciting signing.

 

Same old, same old.  Next!

I hope your confidence isn't misplaced.   I can understand the nervousness given the number of issues we've had on the injury front over the years.