Kris Boyd is convinced that Kyle Lafferty has been carpeted by Northern Ireland because of an accumulation of misdemeanours.
The striker has been banned from playing for Rangers in their Sunday clash against Hamilton after Northern Ireland invoked a FIFA rule blocking an injured player for competing for his club until five days after an international period.
“This can’t be the first time something’s happened,” Boyd told the SPFL Matters programme, screened on Saturday morning. “There’s obviously been things that have gone on before that Michael O’Neill has maybe overlooked.
“This time he’s had enough and it’s a big problem for Lafferty.
“He can’t play this weekend against Hamilton because he’s banned, he can’t play in the Scottish Cup semi because he’s ineligible. He’s missing a lot of football.”
OPINION
Lafferty has got his just desserts. Sure, he has been a good servant for Northern Ireland and a record of 20 goals from 68 appearances is an extremely impressive one for one of the minnows of European football. But it is unlikely O’Neill and the Irish FA would have taken such strong action against the giant striker unless he had been causing them a lot of grief and for a long time. Lafferty was daft and selfish to tell his national team at the last minute that he would not be involved during the current international break. He should at least have turned up and demonstrated why his achilles prevented him playing for the national team, who have given him the platform to reignite his career. Would Rangers have been so keen to sign him from Hearts over the summer had he not been such an influential figure for his country? Lafferty has been honest about his gambling issues, but Boyd and, clearly, O’Neill are convinced he is causing ructions behind the scenes.