Gers hero can have no complaints after snub as ex-Celtic star marches on without him: view
Yesterday at 02:30 PM
Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence might feel hard done by after failing to receive a call-up to the Wales international team squad.
In many respects the 30-year-old playmaker has been one of the Ibrox club's top performers this season, scoring some big goals and putting in some big displays in Glasgow.
Now under the management of ex-Celtic forward Craig Bellamy, any suggestion Lawrence is an outcast from Wales internationally was extinguished prior to this round of UEFA Nations League fixtures.
And Bellamy's 'purely footballing' decision to leave Lawrence out has certainly been justified as Wales march on under the feisty former striker.
Tom Lawrence snubbed by new Wales boss
Under former Wales manager Rob Page, it certainly looked like Tom Lawrence wasn't going to get a look-in.
During the Rangers star's Derby days, then manager Wayne Rooney hinted that Page had a personal problem with Lawrence and that's why a call-up wasn't forthcoming.
It's something the ex-Wales boss denies.
Craig Bellamy was also asked about the situation with the Gers heading into the break and explained that football, and not a fall-out, was keeping Tom Lawrence out of the Wales squad.
"No, not at all," said Bellamy. "I've never once heard anything of that.
"It's just the numbers. I have a certain amount of numbers I can go to.
"Tom is definitely a player I really like, but at this present moment there's one or two players I've put in those positions."
With Lawrence also admitting he's held discussions with Bellamy over a potential recall, the Rangers star is certainly back in the picture but not yet in the squad.
But it's not like the Ibrox star, who is returning from two years of complex injury issues, can argue.
So far, Bellamy's Dragons have impressed as they eye a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Rangers star can have no complaints
Wales are four games unbeaten under Bellamy so far, with Fulham's Harry Wilson, someone Tom Lawrence is in direct competition with, the nation's latest matchwinner.
Wilson netted from the penalty spot to record a 1-0 win over Montenegro in the UEFA Nations League which follows on from a 2-2 draw in Iceland.
Lawrence was also left watching on as Wilson scored then too, alongside another of his Premier League positional rivals in Spurs' Brennan Johnson.
Throw in the 2-1 win away in Montenegro, and the 0-0 opening day draw with Turkey, and suddenly Bellamy's Wales team are fighting at the top of their UEFA Nations League table.
Heading into the final two games of the tournament, where Wales will face Turkey (A) and Iceland (H), the ex-Man City star has his nation second in League B Group 4, two points behind leaders Turkey.
Whilst Rangers hero Tom Lawrence will have his eye on a return to the fold in November, it's fair to say Bellamy's decision-making hasn't let him down so far.
