Spirit of Christmas in the air as Craig Levein opens his door to outcasts and exiles

Published on Wednesday 23 December 2009 22:04

CRAIG Levein has selected inclusiveness as the central plank in his Christmas message to the Scotland supporters after being handed the task of guiding the country to the finals of the European Championships in 2012.

• Craig Levein started his new job as Scotland manager yesterday by promising to wipe the slate clean on past disputes. Picture: SNS Group

The sentiment is designed to make the ears of Barry Ferguson, Allan McGregor and Kris Boyd prick up, which is also bound to raise issues further down the line. The Tartan Army won't all support the notion of letting bygones be bygones, but for now Levein has insisted that all old arguments be swept away. The response to these glad tidings remains to be seen, with Ferguson, for one, having sounded less than committed with his initial thoughts on the subject from his current berth at Birmingham City.

At the end of a year a new era has begun at Hampden, with Levein finally having put his signature to a four-and-a-half year deal last night. As with predecessor George Burley, his brief is to get Scotland to the next major finals. His first major move after digging his car out of his snow-hit Fife home yesterday has been to wipe clean the slate.

"I will tell you how the discussion went, honestly," said Levein, when asked one of the questions that have dominated the Scotland agenda since Ferguson and McGregor stayed up drinking at Loch Lomond just three days before a crucial World Cup qualifier with Iceland earlier this year. Their disrespectful behaviour when demoted to the bench led to their exclusion from Burley's plans, while Boyd had already raised questions about the mood in the Scotland camp when he asked not to be selected for any future matches under the then manager. The Rangers striker had become irked by Burley's sparing use of him.

The subject of these exiled players was bound to feature early on in Levein's discussions with the Scottish Football Association, and the favoured candidate was clear in how he wanted to play it. If selected, it will be up to the players in question to rule themselves out again.

"Gordon Smith (the chief executive] asked me what my thoughts were on Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor," revealed Levein.

"What I am thinking is if we want to qualify for the next finals then I can't rule anyone out. To me it makes complete sense. What I will do when I pick my first squad is I will see who is in form, and who is injured, and I will pick who I think are the best players.

"I am the manager of the national team. Any player out there is quite within their rights to say 'I don't want to come'. There is an inclusion policy here. Everyone is in. If they don't want to turn up to the squad, any player can do that."

Levein is not prepared to have any restrictions imposed on him as he begins a new life as Scotland manager. He has no problems with Ferguson, McGregor and Boyd, and he does not expect them to have any with him.

"You need to ask Kris what his issues are," he said. "But for me it is a new start. I have met Kris Boyd on numerous occasions. I like him, I think he is a decent guy. Same with Barry Ferguson and same with Allan McGregor. I have never had one problem with these guys. Not one. Why would I not want any of those players in the Scotland squad?"

Levein yesterday moved effortlessly from a previous life spent discussing matters concerning Dundee United to contemplating those issues facing Scotland. The Tannadice club, he said, had dominated his thoughts for the last three years, and now Scotland would. "Dundee United don't interest me now, unfortunately," he said. "I am focused on Scotland."

This looks more brutal in print than it sounded last night, for he spoke warmly about the club where he restored his reputation after a disappointing time at Leicester City. He described United as his period in "rehab", and felt confident the late chairman Eddie Thompson, at whose funeral he spoke movingly 14 months ago, would be happy for him. "It's the Scotland job," he added. "You can't turn that down."

He has already made his mark in the post. Perhaps deterred by memories of the less-than productive trip to South Korea and Hong Kong undertaken by Berti Vogts in 2002, Levein has quashed plans for an end-of-season tour to New Zealand and Australia. His first match remains the friendly scheduled for March against Czech Republic.

"I had a long chat with Gordon (Smith] early on," said Levein. "While the Czech Republic game is on the agenda, there was a tour planned to Australia and New Zealand on the 25 May, which would include two games and be between ten and 14 days long. I have knocked that on the head.

"I just think that if we have an important qualifying campaign coming up next season do I want to be flying players, who have got families and who have worked their backsides off all season, out to Australia for ten days? That eats into their holiday time.

"We have a date in August, which I will utilise," he continued. "And then we are into the campaign. There might be some slight benefits from taking them away, but those would be vastly outweighed by them losing their recuperation time."

Levein, who has earned a reputation for being an anti-authority figure, is clearly intent on looking out for his players' best interests. George Peat, the president of the SFA, broached the subject of Levein's often testy relationship with the governing body when a club manager. "I have never been a yes man and he's never been a yes man," Peat said. "We will get on like a house on fire."

Levein acknowledged there will be a cost to be paid for the considerable hike in salary his promotion to the international post has earned him. He is already being scrutinised, long before Scotland first take to the field under the new manager. Levein's wife, too, has learned of the sudden leap in interest in what he does.

"It's not a decision you take lightly," he said. "A lot of things come into your head. Does your private life become a bit less private? When you are out for a meal, do you get pestered? All these things does have an impact on your home life.

"The wife phoned me today and said there was someone with a camera outside the house," he added. "I said 'get used to it'."

Levein spoke about bringing "pride and passion" back to the country, adding: "I think there is a malaise around the game just now. We need to change some attitudes more than anything else. I've been working hard for 15 years in management and now I have the opportunity to make a significant difference, not just to the Scottish national team but to the way people feel about Scotland itself."