Chelsea star Islam Feruz turns back on Scotland

CHELSEA teenager Islam Feruz appears to have turned his back on Scotland.

Former Celtic youngster Islam Feruz has shown no interest in playing for Scotland. Picture: SNS

The former Celtic striker has been tipped for the top and has featured for Scotland from under-17 level to the under-21s.

Feruz would have been in line to be a key man for the Scots in the Uefa Under-19 Championship Elite qualifying tournament in England which starts tomorrow or might have featured in the under-21 qualifier against the Netherlands next week. However, it is believed that
despite repeated SFA pleas and requests, Feruz has indicated he no longer wishes to be involved in the Scotland youth set-up.

Feruz, 18, hasn’t featured in a Scotland squad since he was substituted in the 6-0 defeat by England U21 in Sheffield last August.

Last summer, he withdrew from the U19 Elite tournament in Belgium with an unspecified injury, and despite starring for Chelsea in last week’s Under-21 Premier League Final when they won 2-1 at Old Trafford, Feruz isn’t interested in playing for Scotland next week.

Feruz was born in Somalia, but his family sought asylum in the UK and relocated to Glasgow in 2005, before he signed for Celtic. He qualifies for Scotland because he was educated here.

SFA chiefs insist the door is still open for Feruz. However, he will be in Hong Kong instead today playing for Chelsea in the HKFC Citibank Soccer Sevens, as the Scots U19s prepare to start their section against Ukraine tomorrow in Burton.