Pearson set for third debut but Mcdonald loses appeal
10 June, ten days before Celtic are due back for preseason training. He could yet strike a deal with Strachan to sit that fixture out but as it stands the manager is confident he will be available next month.
“I spoke to him in the last ten days,” said Strachan. “We’re not tying him down to a contract. It’s always up to the players if they feel good about themselves at that time.
“We decide if we pick them as well, so it works both ways with lots of players,” he added. “I see no reason why Scott won’t be in the next squad.”
Strachan admitted there were some squad players who he might exclude due to the slim chance they will see active involvement – but Brown isn’t one of those.
“No one has come to me and said I won’t be in the next squad,” the manager confirmed. “There are ones who aren’t getting games that are telling me that they will try and get a game here and there to be ready.
“Also with some of the older players I say to them I won’t have them in the squad unless I think they are going to be stripped.
“If you come to squads and have not been stripped then it’s hard, especially when you have been away from kids and family for ten days. In my time it was three days and not a problem. Ten days is harder so that’s why I give people an idea and they say, ‘well, just knock it on the head and if you need me in the end give me a shout’. There are a few in that group and it’s only fair.”
Strachan also confirmed that Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser is on his radar. Theformeraberdeenplayer, who agreed a new deal until 2020 yesterday, has been in good form for his club, scoring three times in his last eight appearances.
But Strachan stressed that Fraser’s chances, as well as those of West Bromwich Albion wide player Matt Phillips, are hampered by Scotland’s options in their position.
“Of course he [Fraser] is in my thoughts, but we’re fortunate in that we have good players in that area, and that can be unfortunate for some players,” said Strachan. Stephen Pearson has signed for Motherwell until the end of the season as he returned for a third spell at Fir Park.
The 34-year-old is back after a successful stint with Atletico Kolkata where he won the Indian Super League title.
Pearson said: “It’s nice to be back. It doesn’t feel that long since I left but there’s plenty of new faces in there though. I’m looking forward to getting started.
“Everybody knows the affiliation I have got with the club. I thoroughly enjoy my time here, it’s a good place to come and work.
“So it ticked all the boxes for me and hopefully it suits Motherwell to have me back in the short term and who knows where we go from there?
“But I’m just looking forward to helping the team out first and foremost, contributing as much as I can between now and the end of the season, and help this club finish as high up the league as possible.”
Pearson could make his debut in tomorrow’s Ladbrokes Premiership encounter with Hearts but Scott Mcdonald will be absent after losing the appeal against his red card against Rangers.
Motherwell confirmed their appeal had been dismissed by a Scottish Football Association judicial panel, meaning Mcdonald will sit out games against Hearts and Aberdeen.
The Australian was sent off for a challenge on Kenny Miller in Motherwell’s 2-0 defeat by Rangers at Fir Park.