Charlie Adam eyes cap recall but hasn't spoken to Strachan

Charlie Adam is ready to join Scotland's World Cup rescue bid at Wembley '“ even though boss Gordon Strachan has not spoken to him for 18 months.
Stoke City's Scottish midfielder Charlie Adam impressed against Swansea on Monday. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty ImagesStoke City's Scottish midfielder Charlie Adam impressed against Swansea on Monday. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
Stoke City's Scottish midfielder Charlie Adam impressed against Swansea on Monday. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

The Stoke midfielder made an impressive return to the Stoke line-up on Monday night against Swansea and now wants a recall to Strachan’s national team.

Adam - who struck the post twice as he made his first Premier League start of the campaign in Stoke’s 3-1 win over the Swans - said: “I’m desperate to be a part of it. I want to get back in the Scotland set-up but there is only person that makes that choice and it’s the manager.

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“We will see what happens. Performances like (Monday night) will hopefully catch his eye and I will hopefully get back in.”

The 30-year-old won the last of his 26 caps in a friendly clash with Qatar in May 2015 but is desperate to feature against England on November 11.

However, Adam has no idea whether he is in Strachan’s plans for the Auld Enemy clash, which will be revealed on Wednesday when the Scotland manager announces his squad.

The former Rangers and Liverpool midfielder revealed in a radio interview with TalkSPORT that the Scotland manager has not been in touch since his last outing for the national side at Easter Road 18 months ago to explain why he has been frozen out.

That silence has left him disappointed, but he is willing to join the fight to get Scotland back on track for Russia 2018.

“I haven’t spoken to him since I last played,” he said. “I have never had a conversation about why I was dropped or left out, which was disappointing because if he had turned around and said, ‘Listen, you haven’t been playing enough for Stoke’, then I’d understand. But I haven’t had any conversations.

“I would be delighted to be involved in it. Playing against England at Wembley would be something special.”

Scotland have taken just four points from their opening three qualifiers and know anything but at win in Wembley effectively kill off their World Cup ambitions.

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Strachan’s plans have already been dealt a blow with influential figures such as Hull duo Robert Snodgrass and Andy Robertson, and Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, ruled out through injury.

But Adam reckons he could be the man to unlock the English defence.

“We’re under a bit of pressure because of the last result (3-0 defeat against Slovakia last month) so we have got to go to Wembley and win the game,” he said.

“If you look at the squad, it’s roughly the same squad all the time, so (Strachan) feels confident with the players in his group.

“That’s just the way it goes and you’ve just got to try and force your way into it.

“But if you’re playing at Wembley you need players who have the ability to keep the ball in tight areas and who are confident enough to express themselves because England are a top nation. You need your best passers, people who can create things and dictate the game.

“I still feel I have a lot to offer to Scotland and hopefully that opportunity comes again.”