‘Friends asked why I bother with Scotland’ admits Berra

not making the team. “I did [always turn up] and I had a lot of mates saying why do I bother because people thought I should be playing,” Berra added. “But I’m not the only one. There are another 11 or 12 sitting on the bench or in the stand who think the same.

“It’s down to the manager and their philosophy, what they think, the games they watch, friends of friends who might say a player is good. I might be in a hotseat one day. There will always be people disappointed.”

Having missed out at times during Gordon Strachan’s reign, Berra was reinstated in the team as they almost salvaged a World Cup play-off place and he is hopeful that, despite missing out on the upcoming friendlies, he can force his way back into the reckoning in time for the Euro Championship qualifiers.

“Well, we’ll see when that comes, when it’s down to the real bread and butter when points are on the line,” he said. “That’s when any manager earns his money.”

Tierney missed Celtic’s 0-0 draw with Motherwell yesterday and his manager Brendan Rodgers said: “He had a slight issue with his calf towards the end of last week. He won’t be travelling to Scotland.”

Martin, despite lasting all of Rangers’ defeat by Kilmarnock on Saturday, has been struggling with a back injury. “They’ll assess me and it’s how my body responds,” he said before last night’s withdrawal.