After Joey Barton’s suspension, Rangers are moving forward.
Rangers’ Joey Barton looks dejected
Rangers proved they did not miss Joey Barton last night, beating Queen of the South 5-0 in the Betfred Cup.
The midfielder has been suspended after an altercation with teammate Andy Halliday in training and a terse exchange of words with manager Mark Warburton.
Andy Halliday celebrates after scoring the first goal for Rangers
The upshot was Barton was suspended for three weeks, and the Scottish Sun report he will not play for the club again.
Last night Warburton made another decision which sends an indirect message to Barton – handing Andy Halliday the captaincy.
The decision, while just a one-off for the fixture, was greeted with widespread approval by Gers fans, and the 24-year-old looked at ease wearing the armband.
Andy Halliday celebrates with Kenny Miller after scoring the second goal for Rangers
He scored one of the goals in the 5-0 win, and showed that in the future he should be considered for further opportunities to lead the team out.
In making the decision, Warburton made crystal clear exactly where his loyalties lie, and by handing Halliday a leadership role, it makes it even harder for Barton’s opinions to hold weight with his teammates if and when he does return.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton
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