Fletchers will provide lift into Valleys, says Cameron

Colin Cameron played in the game that helped speed the end of Berti Vogts’ Scotland reign but is convinced Friday’s trip to Cardiff could kick-start Craig Levein’s World Cup campaign.

Cameron started in the 4-0 defeat to Wales at the Millennium Stadium in February 2004 and later that year, as the Tartan Army turned against the German, Vogts resigned.

Levein’s immediate predecessor, George Burley, also suffered at the hands of the Welsh, with a 3-0 defeat marking his last match in charge before he was sacked in 2009 weeks after being told he would lead the country into the Euro 2012 qualifiers.

But, with the Scotland camp lifted this week by the return to the squad of Steven Fletcher and fit-again pair Darren Fletcher and Scott Brown, Cameron is optimistic that a journey to the Valleys will prove kinder to Levein.

He said: “I played against Wales down there, but I don’t really want to remember it. It was a disappointing night that one.

“It was one of those days where nothing went right for us. It was a poor performance, one that none of the players enjoyed.

“But I try and look at the positives all the time and they’ve still got an opportunity to qualify. They’ve just made it that bit harder because they didn’t get a win in their first two games at home. Craig will have them focused and the players will be determined themselves, because they’ll want to do something that Scotland haven’t done for a while and that’s qualify for a major championships.

“It’s been too long for the fans and it would be great if they could qualify this time. It’s not going to be easy after the first two games but it won’t be for the lack of trying.”

However, Cameron, capped 28 times for his country, insists that Scotland desperately need a victory at the Cardiff City Stadium if they are to go on and become the first Scotland team to qualify for a major finals since the France World Cup in 1998.

The 39-year-old Cowdenbeath player-manager added: “A lot of the current crop of players are playing in the English Premier League and because of that I think it will hold them in good stead. There’s a lot of good players and match-winners. Getting Steven Fletcher back into it gives them a proven goal-scorer.

“He’s playing in the probably the hardest division in the world and scoring, so hopefully that will give the lads a lift as well. The two Fletchers and Scott Brown are fantastic players and they’re only going to make Scotland a better team and Craig will obviously be setting them up to go down there and get the three points against Wales.

“If they can get that it will breed confidence and they could take that on to the rest of the campaign.”