OPINION
Rangers have now confirmed that senior duo Kenny Miller and Lee Wallace have been suspended pending an investigation into a ‘team incident’ following their 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-finals.
A statement on the club’s official website confirmed reports that had been spreading in the press on Tuesday morning, with the club refusing to comment further until after the investigation.
According to the Scottish Sun, the suspensions will see Miller bought out of the remaining weeks of his contract and leave the club immediately, with Wallace also likely to have played his last game for the club.
Club captain Wallace, who has missed the majority of the season with a serious groin injury, is said to have voiced his anger with Murty in the dressing room after the game, with Miller then joining in.
A high-ranking source is quoted as saying: “The Ibrox hierarchy are raging with the behaviour of the club’s most senior player and club captain after Sunday’s defeat. The powers-that-be believe the manager has been undermined and have decided to take action. They don’t think what happened in the dressing room is acceptable.”
And, while fans may be backing Wallace and Miller on Twitter, quite frankly their actions were unacceptable and the suspensions are the right move by the club.
Both players have been brilliant servants for Rangers, with both making over 250 appearances for the club, but that is no excuse to turn on and disrespect Murty like they obviously did.
Miller may be well-respected and well-loved at Rangers, but his move to Celtic for a season in 2006 has already tarnished his legacy at Ibrox in many peoples’ eyes.
Wallace on the other hand has been at the club since 2011, making 259 appearances for the club in that time, with the 30-year-old well on the way to becoming a club legend.
His actions on Sunday have however left his legacy at the club in ruins, with the likelihood being that he will now be dumped acrimoniously this summer.
That is a massive shame for a man who is revered in the stands at Ibrox, and his future interactions with the club will likely be affected by his now ruined relationship with the top brass.
It is obviously still just reported that Wallace has played his last game for Rangers, but even if he hasn’t and he returns next season, the wing-back has inflicted irreparable damage on his relationship to the club.