Graeme Murty has revealed that Rangers are planning to ramp up Lee Wallace’s rehabilitation process by getting him into game situations.
The left-back, who has been out of action since picking up a groin injury against Partick Thistle in September, returned to the training pitch during the international break.
However, Wallace is yet to start training with his team-mates and Murty revealed that he does not have a timescale as to when the defender will be back playing.
But the interim Rangers boss insisted that the 30-year-old needs to be involved in match situations as no amount of running or weight training can enhance a player’s decision making abilities when he is out injured.
“I don’t”, Murty told Rangers TV, when asked if he has any timescale on Wallace’s return.
relatedNewsStory
“I’m not relaxed about it, but I know that he is in really good hands.
“Stevie [Steve Walker] gives me daily reports on what he is doing and how he is progressing.
“So we know that he is due to come back in training [with his team-mates], he will be able to handle the load.
“It will just be the question of getting his match fitness and his sharpness up and getting some more volume into him so that he can actually go and train with the players flat out.
“The worst thing I always experienced coming back from being injured is that you need to get out on the pitch with your team-mates.
“You want to go out with your team-mates and get that decision-making process back because when you get the ball at your feet and there are people in and around you pressing, it doesn’t matter how much running you have done, it doesn’t matter how many weights you have done – all it comes down to is your brain is still a little bit tired and you can’t make that critical decision.
“So we have to get him into game situations and match situations so he can extend that part of his rehab.”
Murty went on to add that he is pleased to see where Wallace is at the moment, with the Scotland international hitting impressive speeds in training.
“Lee is doing some really good numbers”, he continued.
“We just have to make sure that he is fully fit and firing when he comes back.
“But it’s encouraging to see him open up and hitting some speeds that he is hitting at the moment.”
Wallace has made seven appearances in all competitions for Rangers in the present campaign.
