March 21, 2002

GLASGOW, March 21 (DS) - Next Wednesday Rangers FC Argentinean striker Claudio Caniggia will be handed a final opportunity to stake his claim for a place at the 2002 World Cup, the Daily Record stated.

Caniggia is set to join up with Marcelo Bielsa's Argentina squad for a friendly with Cameroon in Marseille.

And the striker knows he must make the most of his unexpected chance if he is to be included in the party of 22 that will head to the Far East at the end of May. The veteran emerged from the international wilderness last month when he was handed his first cap for more than five years against Wales in Cardiff. Caniggia stated: "This is my last chance with the national team. I'm in the squad and want to stay there. "If I go to the World Cup I will play with pride and maybe after that I will finish.

"It's a good challenge for me. The finals are only a few months away and there may be only two more games before the tournament. "It wasn't easy getting back into the squad because there are so many good players available to Argentina and I hadn't played under the new coach. "It was great to return after five years because I'm 35 and didn't play in the qualifying campaign."

Caniggia scored twice in last weekend's CIS Cup win over Ayr and appears to be hitting form at the right time. Given the vast talent at Bielsa's disposal it will be a tall order for him to make the final party. However, despite the fierce competition for places, Caniggia still feels he can play his part. He added: "The manager called me because he wanted to see me play again. "I have been at the top level for 18 years but he needs to know I am his sort of player. "Bielsa wants me to play wide on the right, like I do with Rangers. It's a position that appears to be a problem for Argentina."

Meanwhile, Bert Konterman is a major doubt for Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Partick Thistle. Konterman has been playing with painkilling injections recently after picking up a foot injury against Feyenoord. However, he could hardly walk after the win over Ayr and is reluctant to keep subjecting himself to the needle. Konterman said: "I'm struggling with my foot and it's driving me crazy.

"Even with an injection it is still painful and there is a question mark over whether I will face Partick. "The manager has asked me what I think but I will see what the doctors says. "We have to draw a line at when I will stop taking injections - the problem is not going away and I need to get my rhythm back as I haven't trained for four weeks."