CELTIC captain Scott Brown has leaped to the defence of his team-mate Kris Commons following criticism from SFA performance director Mark Wotte of the midfielder’s decision to retire from international football at the age of 29.

CELTIC and Scotland midfielder Kris Commons has announced that he has retired from international football, in order to focus on his family and his club career.

HIS name was missing when Gordon Strachan named his 28-strong squad for next month’s World Cup qualifier against Croatia but Kris Boyd, still the all-time top goalscorer in the SPL, hasn’t given-up hopes of adding to the 18 caps he earned before “retiring” from international football during George Burley’s tenure as Scotland boss.

HAVING failed to qualify for the finals of a major tournament since 1998, Scottish international footballers have all too easily become accustomed to enjoying a lengthy summer break.

SCOTLAND manager Gordon Strachan has urged the clutch of untested newcomers in his squad not to let a potentially career-enhancing opportunity pass them by against Croatia in Zagreb next month.

ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson has recalled Andy Carroll to his squad for friendlies against Ireland and Brazil after the striker’s recent good club form

PLAYING the 2022 World Cup in the searing summer heat of Qatar is “not rational and reasonable,” Fifa president Sepp Blatter said in an interview yesterday.

WORLD Cup winners Ronaldinho and Kaka were both left out of Brazil’s Confederations Cup squad yesterday as coach Luiz Felipe Scolari opted for youth ahead of experience.

SPANISH champions Barcelona fought back from a Radamel Falcao goal to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at the Vicente Calderon thanks to strikes from Alexis Sanchez and Gabi.

Billy Stark has called up former England youth international Luke Hendrie for his Scotland under-20 squad.

FORMER Hearts winger Andrew Driver scored again for Houston Dynamo in the MLS in a 4-0 win over DC United. Team-mate Will Bruin, who added a brace, has scored nine times in nine career appearances against United.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter faced calls to resign yesterday over the findings of an ethics investigation into a bribery scandal involving leading football officials and collapsed marketing partner ISL.

FORMER Scotland midfielder Lee McCulloch has revealed his reasons for walking out of George Burley’s Scotland squad in a new autobiography.

TOMORROW is a big day at Fir Park for James McFadden. No, not that one, as much as he is enjoying the reprise of his role as a Motherwell talisman.

Football’s biggest prize has twice been won with the help of dictators fixing matches for the host team, according to a Fifa-hosted conference on World Cup history.

FIFA says its $200 million museum will now be created downtown in its home city of Zurich.