BBC Sport - Football - Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot ruled out until 2011 (original) (raw)

Broadfoot was playing through the pain barrier with Rangers

Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot is likely to be out of action until the new year, with team-mate Lee McCulloch describing it as a major blow.

The 26-year-old has been struggling with a foot problem and had tried to play through the pain barrier.

"I think it will be decided in the next couple of days whether he gets surgery or not," said McCulloch.

"If so, and he's going to be out for four weeks or whatever, it's going to be a blow for us."

Broadfoot has made 14 appearances this season and also played for Scotland in their friendly against Sweden.

"He has done well this season, especially in the Champions League," said McCulloch.

	Unfortunately the situation with his foot is such that it is too much for him to play through Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist

Walter Smith's squad has already depleted by the loss of key players, but striker Nikica Jelavic hopes to return to action in time for the 2 January Old Firm derby with Celtic.

The Croatian has been out of action since picking up an ankle injury in early October.

Defenders Sasa Papac and Madjid Bougherra, plus midfielder Maurice Edu, were close to a return to action on Saturday had Rangers' match against Hearts not been postponed because of severe weather.

Papac had been troubled by headaches since suffering concussion against Hibernian on 10 November, when Edu picked up a knock on a knee that had recently been operated on.

Bougherra has been missing with a hamstring problem picked up against Aberdeen three days later.

"You've got to look at it from the positive side and hopefully we can get players back to make the squad a little bit bigger," said McCulloch about Saturday's postponement, which follows the call-off of Sunday's game against Dundee United.

"We have quite a lot of games coming up again, so it's probably a blessing in disguise."

Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist thought that the Scotland international had been his own worst enemy as he suffered a recurrence of his foot injury.

"He has been taking some pain-killers and anti-inflammatory tablets, but we now have to get to the nub of the problem," he said.

"Kirk is old school and I mean that in the nicest possible way. He will play when he is not 100 per cent and he has not been 100 per cent for a lot of the time this season.

"He wants to play football. He wants to train and he wants to play and it's wonderful to have someone with that attitude.

"But unfortunately the situation with his foot is such that it is too much for him to play through, so we will need to get it diagnosed.

"It's not looking great at the moment, but hopefully it won't be too long term."