Injured Weir to undergo minor groin operation

Published on Wednesday 3 September 2008 23:36

DAVID Weir is to undergo a groin operation after picking up an injury at the weekend, Scotland manager George Burley revealed yesterday.

The Rangers centre-back was in Burley's squad for the Group 9 matches away to Macedonia on Saturday and Iceland on Wednesday, but withdrew earlier this week after being injured during his team's 4-2 victory against Celtic on Sunday.

"David Weir is going to have a small operation this week, I think," Burley said. "He has seen a specialist. It's a groin problem, and he'll need a little op."

The 38-year-old player has not featured regularly in Scotland squads since Burley took over as manager, but was recalled for the friendly international with Northern Ireland last month and was again in the squad announced last week for the forthcoming double-header.

Meanwhile, Scotland assistant manager Terry Butcher compared Craig Gordon and Allan McGregor to goalkeeping greats Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence – but insists they will not be alternated in the same way England did to keep both keepers happy. Gordon is the man in possession at the moment, but has been put under pressure in recent months by the Rangers stopper who saved a penalty in last month's goalless draw against Northern Ireland at Hampden as a second half substitute.

For a period in the late Seventies and early Eighties, England manager Ron Greenwood solved the dilemma of having two great keepers by rotating them before Shilton emerged as No1 for the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain.

But asked if rotation of keepers would be a way forward, Butcher replied: "No. It's George's decision, but, at the end of the day, when you have got two good goalkeepers, they are fighting to be number one, as are all the players fighting for their position in the team."