ANDY WEBSTER'S desperate run of misfortune over the past two years shows no sign of ending with the defender facing his third operation in 18 months, this time to resolve a hernia problem.
And in revealing the player's latest injury setback, Rangers manager Walter Smith failed to commit the club to a permanent contract for the 26-year-old Scotland internationalist, who has been on loan from Wigan for 18 months but has played only one
competitive game.
"Andy is going in for a double hernia operation," Smith said. "He's getting one side done and the surgeon thinks he might need the other side done. "
Webster is now associated with the wrangling over Article 17 of FIFA's player statutes. He left Hearts after invoking the ruling stating a player unilaterally breaching his contract following a three-year protected period was liable only to pay his club compensation in line with remaining wages.
FIFA argued this was not the proper interpretation of the article but in March the Court of Arbitration for Sport found in the player's favour. It was expected the compensation owed to the Tynecastle club would be covered by Rangers to make him a contracted Rangers player but Smith was coy about the prospect and suggested Webster's situation will not prove the test case for Article 17.
"I don't know what will end up happening with Andy," the Ibrox manager said.
"His case is still to be settled. Although there is a ruling, they're saying it will be challenged by clubs if anyone tries to do the same thing. It's not as straightforward as some people think. It wouldn't be like Andy's case, where he came to us and was able to play."
The full article contains 294 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
