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Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has defended his decision to take a hard line over the late arrival of new signing Russell Latapy and refuse to select him for his side's SPL meeting with Livingston yesterday.


Latapy, who only this week was the recipient of a 16-month driving ban, said he was caught in traffic for two hours as he travelled through from his Edinburgh home for the game, with traffic heading through for a Robbie Williams concert at Hampden Park being blamed for the problem.

After the match, which ended 0-0, and stretched his midfield resources to the full, Advocaat explained that Latapy was in clear breach of club regulations, but refused to reveal if disciplinary action would be taken.

"He came in 35 minutes before the game and he has to come in two hours before the game," Advocaat said. "But if you have to play a game and he's not in until 35 minutes before the game then he can't play. The boy's nervous because he's too late, so I think it is a good decision to leave him out."

It will not be the first time the Trinidad and Tobago international has courted controversy. Last year he left Hibs in difficult circumstances after he failed to turn up for training.