Craig Levein considers adding to Scotland squad after call-offs

Published on Monday 30 August 2010 18:21

CRAIG Levein was last night considering whether to call up two players - a left-back and a striker - to his injury-depleted squad for the European Championships double-header against Lithuania and Liechtenstein.

• The Scotland squad launch the UEFA Euro 2012 campaign motto We Stand Together in Dumbarton. Craig Levein , will be hoping it is a motto the Scots will adopt when they kick-off on Friday. Picture: SNS

With only four players definitely out of Friday night's opener in Kaunas, the national coach is relatively happy with the resources available to him, but the loss of Hearts defender Lee Wallace and Burnley striker Chris Iwelumo have left him short in those two key areas.

Defenders Andy Webster and Kevin McNaughton are the other two who are definitely out of the game against the Lithuanians, while striker Steven Fletcher is a doubt. If Fletcher does pull out, Levein is expected to draft in another striker, with Hearts front man Kevin Kyle a likely choice.

Neither Fletcher nor the quartet who will miss Friday's game have been ruled out of the second match, the home fixture against Liechtenstein a week today. Wallace, who has inflamed tissue around an ankle, is expected to improve with rest over the next few days and appears the most probable of the four to be passed fit for the Hampden match.

Having read through the injury list, Levein was heartened by the arrival - and apparent fitness to play - of Alan Hutton. "The good news is that Alan is here," the coach said. "I thought he would miss the first game, but it looks as though he will be OK."

Whatever changes he is forced to make from his preferred line-up, Levein's hope and aim is to have an experienced nucleus of players who can be relied upon to play to a high standard in game after game. "I'm a hostage to fortune in that regard," he continued. "I'd like to have the same seven, eight, nine guys in a team for every international match, but that's not how it works. I am more relaxed with this group of players, having guys like Paul Hartley, Davie Weir, Lee McCulloch and Alan Hutton back in the squad. It gives me a degree of comfort, knowing that these guys can handle the situation.

"The friendly internationals are a bit of a pain in the backside - especially for the clubs - but there is a degree of understanding for the competitive games. These guys know they will be playing for real on Friday."

Kenny Miller is another player who now comes into the tried and trusted bracket, and Levein has high hopes that the Rangers striker will emulate his good early-season club form on the international stage. "I'd like all our strikers to be in top form, and he is certainly one that has hit the ground running. I was at Ibrox on Saturday, and although he didn't have a lot of chances, the one really good chance that he got, he scored a goal. He is playing like a striker in form.

"It's a no-brainer for me. He is somebody you can trust. And he can play in the lone striker role, or he can play as a twin striker. He gives you everything he's got.

"I like players who come in after a game having given their lot, and that is one thing about Kenny Miller that we all agree on. That is what you get from him. He's in form, he's scoring goals, so he is a big plus for us.

"There are things in players' heads that make them feel comfortable going into certain situations. Kenny is in form and, come Friday night, we will see just how good he is."

In common with several other members of the squad, Miller has been the subject of transfer speculation, with Rangers having admitted that a decent offer for the striker or for many of their other players would be hard to resist. Levein is confident, however, that if any of them is the subject of negotiations or a move before the window closes tonight, their focus on Friday's match will not be affected.

"The transfer window is a side issue that can have an affect on players, but Kenny has had enough moves in his time to be able to handle that type of situation. Players move here, there and everywhere - these things are outwith my control. I just need to make sure they are ready to play on Friday. There may be some things that happen between now and Friday that distract certain players, but so long as they are ready to go on Friday, then fine.

"I want the players to be in their best shape on Friday. But if a player has a contractual agreement which will affect him for the next three years, then he will go and deal with it. I'm not going to be saying to players, on something that affects their lives and their families, that they are not going away to deal with it."