Fresh twist in speculation over Rangers midfielder's international career

While 10 of his Rangers team-mates have been away on international duty over the past week, Scott Arfield has been enjoying some down time ahead of the resumption of Premiership action.

Scott Arfield celebrates after leading Canada to a 2-0 win over the USA in Toronto in October 2019. Doubts remain over the Rangers midfielder's longer term international future.(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

Having celebrated his 32nd birthday at the start of this month, the midfielder is at the stage of his career where rest and recovery play an increasingly important role in seeing him through the demands of the intense schedule facing the Ibrox club as they seek success both on the domestic front and in Europe this season.

It has prompted speculation that Arfield may be poised to call time on his international career with Canada, a possibility Rangers manager Steven Gerrard seemed to allude to earlier in the campaign when he observed that the player was benefitting from the fact ‘he doesn’t go on international duty anymore’.

But it was unclear if that was simply a reference to the fact Canada have not played any fixtures at all since the coronavirus crisis began to impact upon football at the start of 2020. Arfield himself was coy on the subject when asked about it last month, saying he would wait until the next Canada squad was named by head coach John Herdman in November.

However, plans for Canada to play a friendly match this month were scrapped and they are now not scheduled to return to action until next March when the rearranged CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches begin.

Canada have been drawn in a group with Suriname, Bermuda, Aruba and the Cayman Islands. While those away trips to the Caribbean may sound appealing, it would represent a demanding itinerary for Arfield at what is likely to be a crucial stage of the season for Rangers.

Now captain of Canada, for whom he qualified to play through his Toronto-born father after being consistently snubbed by Scotland, Arfield is highly regarded in the land of the Maple Leaf. His progress at Rangers is closely monitored and he was named as Canada Soccer’s Player of the Month for October for his fine displays in the Premiership and Europa League.

Arfield will be 34 when the 2022 World Cup Finals come along. It remains to be seen whether his domestic ambitions prompt him to give up on the dream of leading Canada to Qatar.

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