THE QUIT HITS THE FAN
Pulling on this shirt used to be the pride of a nation – the dream of every kid who kicked a ball in the street. Now our pampered footballers are falling over themselves to run out on Scotland and leave their empty jerseys hanging in the Hampden dressing-
ALEX McLEISH is battling a big-name exodus ahead of Scotland’s crunch Nations League clashes with Albania and Israel.
Newcastle wide man Matt Ritchie has become the latest star to shun national
service, after Crystal Palace’s James McArthur quit and Robert Snodgrass asked to be left out.
Big Eck has been forced to bring Steven Fletcher out of the international wilderness to cover for injured Leigh Griffiths and Steven Naismith.
The Scotland boss also couldn’t call on Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney, still on England’s radar, while Charlie Mulgrew is facing a fitness sweat for next week’s Albania clash.
McLeish is looking to bounce back from last month’s dismal 2-1 defeat in Israel but is convinced his men can top the group with results in Shkoder next Saturday and Glasgow the following Tuesday.
But his hopes have been hampered by another established Premiership star turning his back.
Ritchie, who has 16 caps and three goals, was key under Gordon Strachan before pulling out of the squad at the end of the World Cup campaign.
The former international Player of the Year returned for Eck’s first gathering against Costa Rica and claimed he was committed to the cause – but dropped a bombshell last month.
McLeish revealed: “Matt wanted to be left out for the foreseeable future.
“I wanted him to come in but he has asked to be left out at the moment. He hasn’t retired or anything. You don’t know everyone’s private life so you have to respect that.”
McArthur has been in top form for Palace despite retiring from international duty last month at just 31.
McLeish admitted he did all he could to try to get him to stick around.
He said: “I tried. In fact, in the summer James was very keen when I spoke to him. I explained I’d left him out of the tour and that I also saw him as a key figure for the Euros.
“He said: ‘I’m up for it’ but then he’s had to take stock. You can’t control it. You can’t worry or curse your luck. He’s a great player, great servant. He’s wanting to make sure his professional career is fulfilled in terms of his club.
“It’s not the first time it has happened. People say it’s a modern thing but it happened back in my day.
“Players stopped playing for the international team because it was too much with the amount of games they’ve got for their clubs.”
Snodgrass was a late call-up in September after asking to be left out and has requested to stay away to focus on his fitness at West Ham – as did Celtic ace Griffiths after being unhappy at losing his starting spot to Naismith against Albania.
McLeish said: “Snoddy is managing an ankle knock. It made him miss the last games too.
“It’s just something that was out of our control.”
McLeish insisted that Cairney’s omission is not because of England.
He said: “Tom has only recently come back into Fulham’s side after injury. There will be another time for Tom to come back.”
McLeish admitted it has been a struggle to cobble together his squad with injuries and call-offs but was thrilled when Fletcher answered his SOS.
The Sheffield Wednesday frontman – top scorer in the squad with nine goals in 31 caps – was frozen out despite being a mainstay under Gordon Strachan.
But McLeish said: “Steven was enthusiastic. He said he’d still love to play for Scotland. It was music to my ears.”
Scotland can book a play-off by grabbing at least a point in Albania then beating Israel at Hampden – and could even get there if they lose in Shkoder.
McLeish said: “It’s very achievable and we know what we want to do. Nothing else matters apart from these two games.”
When Ritchie called off our crunch World Cup double header, his text to Strachan was sent before he had even hit the showers
Cairney has done nothing of note in a Scotland shirt but believes in his own hype so much, he’s got his eyes on an England cap