- Derek Cornelius gains valuable minutes with Canada after injury layoff.
- Defender set for crunch talks with Danny Rohl over Rangers future.
- First-team return uncertain amid strong defensive competition at Ibrox and rift with Rohl.
Derek Cornelius continued his return from injury with the Canadian national team, playing over half an hour against Tunisa at the BMO field.
He is now set to return to Scotland for crunch talks with Danny Rohl.
Derek Cornelius’ rift with Rohl
The defender has been training separately from the Ibrox first team after the emergence of a rift between coach and player.
Rohl allowed Cornelius to leave early to join up with his national squad – allowing the player to miss Rangers win over Aberdeen.
He addressed the on-loan Marseille players situation prior to the Dons match.
“I gave him the opportunity to go earlier to the national team,” the German explained.
“I will have a conversation when he comes back then we will see which direction it goes.”
But he refused to go into detail over any potential issues with their relationship.
“I think Derek and my person are very clear, we need one more conversation after the international break,” he revealed.
“All these things between Derek and me, it’s between us. This is crucial. I have my principles.”
Canada boss Jesse Marsch also shouldered some blame for miscommunication between the pair.
Read Rangers analysis
For now, Cornelius is set to train with the youth team upon his return.
His conversations with Rohl will dictate whether that changes and he can be reintegrated into the first team fold.
He has not featured for Rangers since a victory over Dundee in November but has notched up over 75 minutes of football across Canada’s two matches.
With the good form of Nasser Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez returning to the team will be no easy task.
That is if talks with Rohl do go well.
With “seven cup finals” remaining for Rohl, every player must be committed and ready to give their all in the pursuit of the Premiership title.
