Adam adamant there won’t be resentment over striker’s return

“I don’t think it does,” the former Rangers, Blackpool and Liverpool player said.

“You want your best players available. He is one of our best players and it is good to see him back involved.

“What happened has happened, it’s done and dusted. Let’s move on.

“It’s up to the manager if he plays but, for us, it’s good to have him in the squad because he adds to the quality that we already have.

“Whoever plays up front, as a pair or on their own, they will be trying to do the best for their country.

“We are all in the same boat – we want to get to Brazil and hopefully the quality that has come into the squad for these two games can enhance our chances.”

Fletcher is rooming with former Hibernian team-mate Scott Brown, who was glad to see his old friend back in the international fold.

“It is brilliant,” said the Celtic skipper, who will try to shrug off a hip complaint to be ready for Friday.

“He’s a great guy and a good friend as well, so I am glad he is back.

“He is a good lad to have around, so we will accept him no problem.

“He didn’t say a lot. He just said he is looking forward to getting the strip back on and getting back into training and pretty much forget about everything that has happened in the last couple of years.”

Brown is confident Fletcher will be able to handle the pressure which will be on the Sunderland striker if he plays at the Cardiff City Stadium.

He said: “The focus will be on him but he scored five goals in his first five games in the Premier League for Sunderland so I don’t think he has a lot to prove.

“He is a strong character, a great player and he is what we need.

“If we create chances, I’m sure he will finish them off, as will Kenny [Miller] as well.

“Whatever has happened in the past has happened. We are just looking forward and we need as many players fit and the best squad possible for Friday. That is the most important thing for the country.”

Brown also said he was optimistic he will be fit to face Wales on Friday – and has not ruled out playing against Belgium too. Brown missed Celtic’s win over Hearts yesterday to rest his ongoing hip problem after helping Neil Lennon’s side beat Spartak Moscow on an artificial pitch in Russia.

Speaking at Scotland’s Mar Hall base yesterday, Brown said: “I’m not too bad, I’m getting there slowly.

“I’m going to try for Friday first of all and see how I am. I’ll take everything one step at a time and Wales is the most important game now.

“I missed out on the Hearts game at the weekend but I’m feeling not too bad just now. I’ll see how training goes in the next few days.”

When asked if he could play both of the World Cup qualifiers, Brown said: “I don’t see why not. I feel okay.

“After the game on Friday, if I play, I’ll take it step by step. We will just have to wait and see.”

Lennon has already given Brown and Scotland manager Craig Levein his blessing for Brown to play both matches if possible.

“He says it is up to me. If I feel fine to play one game, play one, and if I feel okay for two, just go ahead and do it, whatever my body can handle just now,” said Brown.

He has missed a number of Clydesdale bank Premier League matches with his hip complaint but played two games in a week last month, against Benfica and Dundee, and revealed his latest lay-off was largely down to the surface in the Luzhniki Stadium.

“The Astroturf did me,” Brown said. “It was solid, there was no give. It was quite hard twisting and turning on it. We are back to grass so I think we should be okay for the upcoming couple of games.”