Fletcher still has a future, says Strachan
GORDON STRACHAN insists Darren Fletcher’s Scotland career is not being wound down — and hinted that the experienced midfielder could have a key role to play against Poland. The West Brom captain has been a peripheral figure during the Euro 2016 campaign, with his only start coming i n the opening qualifier where he wore the armband against Germany in Dortmund. His subsequent involvement has been limited to two substitute appearances.
Fletcher remained benched as Scotland lost both games in the most recent double header to Georgia and Germany but Strachan insists the former Manchester United player’s experience and ability could be crucial as the campaign concludes with clashes against the Poles and Gibraltar.
With his club-mate James Morrison suspended for Thursday’s game at Hampden, a midfield vacancy has opened up for a match the national coach admits his team will probably have to win to retain hopes of qualification through the play-offs.
Strachan i nsists Fletcher’s physical presence could be crucial against the Poles and, having attended West Brom’s game against Everton at the Hawthorns last Monday night, he is at pains to stress the 31-year-old, who has been capped 68 times, is no spent force.
‘Absolutely not. Far from it,’ said Strachan. ‘I think if you asked Darren if he has improved over the last six months, he would say yes.
‘People at West Brom would say the same. It was only games he was needing. Players like Alan Hutton don’t need many games but Darren needed games, physically and mentally. And he has got there now.
‘He’s definitely in the plans. We need height and his presence could free up space for someone else.’
Fletcher burst on to the scene as a teenager and quickly established himself as a first-choice pick for Scotland. But the onset of ulcerative colitis saw his entire career thrown into doubt.
Although he recovered from his illness, Fletcher failed to convince Louis van Gaal he was worthy of a place in his United side last season and he was transferred to West Brom in January and immediately installed as club captain.
Internationally, the 31-year-old has been supplanted by Scott Brown in the skipper’s role, while Morrison, James McArthur and Charlie Mulgrew have all been utilised in the deep-lying midfield berths.
‘It’s been hard for him and I know that and understand that,’ continued Strachan. ‘If you treat the squad right, then you will get the benefit.
‘It’s not as if I’ve not had some sympathy with his situation.
‘I did it myself. I was out the Scotland team for a year-and-a-half and it wasn’t a problem. I came back and was captain again.
‘I was playing golf in Spain with Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen on the day Scotland lost to Costa Rica (in the 1990 World Cup group opener) and I’ve never seen that game to this day.
‘If you ask me do I sympathise, then I can say I’ve been there. I accepted it in my days because there were other good players in the squad and I wasn’t playing as well as I could have done.
‘It was only when I started playing better did I get in the squad and expect to be back. You look at yourself first before anyone else.’
Darren is not the only Fletcher with a bold question mark against his name. Sunderland striker Steven has been Strachan’s firstchoice striker for the qualifiers but, save for a hat-trick against group makeweights Gibraltar in March, he has failed to find the net.
Although responsible for some fine build-up play in goals against Germany and Poland early in the campaign, the 29-year-old looked out of sorts in the last double header. Scotland have been reliant on Shaun Maloney for the bulk of goals and assists in this campaign, and the Hull City man is a certain starter on Thursday.
Everton’s Steven Naismith, who recently scored a hat-trick against Chelsea, should also be involved but Strachan still feels Fletcher’s attributes as a hold-up man make him hard to leave out.
‘He (Fletcher) has been a good target man and focal point, because we need that in this team,’ he said. ‘It would be great if we could get the same thing with someone who scores a lot of goals... 30 goals a season, once every two games.
‘A Lewandowski, Muller, Rooney... we just don’t have them.
‘Naismith is reasonably comfortable anywhere he goes. Against West Brom, he was playing on the left side of midfield. Then he went in behind.
‘You wouldn’t say he is one of the best in the world but he has an understanding of what goes on there. We’ve got some good players there. World-class? No.
‘They are not in Champions League football. I look at other squads and they are all in Champions League football. We have a problem.
‘Shaun has pulled us out with a couple of good things recently but it’s very hard to keep looking at the one guy and go: “OK, you do it again”. It would be nice if other people took that mantle and there are guys capable of producing that.’