Fletch lives! McLeish tips his stopgap striker to star
SCOTLAND Griffiths and Naismith out, but the national team manager
THE reason for Steven Fletcher’s recall to the Scotland squad after over a year out may not exactly be a ringing endorsement of the striker or what he has to offer his country.
He has only been named in the squad for the Nations League double header against Albania and Israel later this month due to both Leigh Griffiths of Celtic and Steven Naismith of Hearts being unavailable due to injuries.
The circumstances surrounding his return to the fold, though, are of little concern to the Sheffield Wednesday player. Nor do they mean he will be unable to perform to a high level and help the national side record the victories which both they and their manager so desperately require.
Alex McLeish revealed Fletcher had been elated when he was informed he would be involved in the final Group C1 fixtures in the Loro Borici Stadium in Shkoder on Saturday week and Hampden the following Tuesday yesterday.
“I left Steven alone in the summer,” he said.
“I knew he was recuperating from injuries. But I always had him in my mind.
“When I asked him he said he would still love to play for Scotland. It was music to my ears.”
McLeish needs a good display and a positive result against Albania after the 2-1 defeat to Israel last month to quell a growing disaffection among supporters even though a defeat would not prevent his charges from topping their group and securing a Euro 2020 play-off spot.
A win in the rematch with an Israel side who were, despite their lowly FIFA ranking, comfortably the better side away in Haifa, is vital. T he manager feels that Fletcher, who has scored nine times in the 31 international appearances he has made since making his Scotland debut in 2008, can help him achieve their objective even though it is now 13 months since he was last involved.
The 31-year-old, who came on as a late substitute in the 2-2 draw with Slovenia in Ljubljana last year that saw the chance of a Russia 2018 play-off spot slip agonisingly from the grasp of the national team, is enjoying decent form having scored three goals in his last eight outings at club level.
McLeish, though, feels the former Hibernian, Burnley, Wolves, Sunderland and Marseille man has other attributes, like the ability to hold the ball up in the final third and bring those behind him into play, which will prove invaluable to his side.
He expects the experience the forward, who has scored more goals than every other member of the 23-man squad combined, has gained in the past decade should also be beneficial.
“I have always liked Steven,” said McLeish. “He is a specialist centre forward. He can link play and do that aspect of the game. I’m not saying Steven has got all the answers. But some of the younger players, the likes of Oli McBurnie, can learn off him. A guy like Fletcher can be a big influence on them.
“We looked at all the options. We felt that at this moment in time Fletch was the right candidate.
‘‘ A guy like Fletcher can be a big influence on the younger players