Marshall keeps going despite highs and lows

Published on Saturday 2 May 2009 19:43

AS SOON as George Burley lost out on a team's worth of players because of scheduling clashes, Scotland should have downgraded their B team meeting with Northern Ireland to a C international. Ultimately, the fixture at Broadwood on Wednesday might be notable for its K class.

Keeper David Marshall is one of the few players within a seriously strange squad who can expect to be on the plane to Norway when the Scotland head their for a pivotal World Cup qualifier on August 12.

The Norwich City No.1 should do so as understudy to Craig Gordon, following the life ban handed to Allan McGregor. Yet the handling of the drinking session involving the Rangers keeper looked as if it might also precipitate the end of Marshall's international career. When McGregor won a place on the bench against Iceland ahead of him – despite initially being expelled from the squad after his night on the lash – the former Celtic keeper was said to have considered giving up international football.

The midweek fixture provides Burley with the opportunity to mollify Marshall. It will be a first appearance under the national coach and a first outing at senior level since he earned a second full cap in the 4-1 defeat by Sweden four-and-a-half years ago.

"I spoke to (Marshall] before the Iceland game and he knew what our position was and why I did it," said Burley of McGregor's technical area tarring, as it turned out. "We had a good chat then and the plan was always to give him a game in this match."

Marshall has been a keeper who has been living his football life in reverse. At 19, he enjoyed a spectacular breakthrough by defying Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Five years later, he is on the verge of dropping down to the third tier of English football with the Carrow Road side. They must win today against Charlton and hope Barnsley lose to avoid sliding into League One in England. Even in stressing that "he's a top keeper" from what he's seen "in training and games", Burley accepts that demotion would place him in a difficult position.

"We have to wait and see," said the Scotland manager. "I can't influence (what league he plays in]; he's got to look at that. Norwich are a big club, and he has one game left. It's a wee bit of a concern."