Alex McLeish urges Scotland boss Steve Clarke to call on Steven Fletcher

Striker can be the team’s ‘focal point’ against Israel

Steven Fletcher is performing well at Sheffield Wednesday this season. Picture: Craig Foy/SNS

When football does resume and Scotland are able to refocus on securing a place at what has now become Euro 2021, former national boss Alex McLeish believes that Steve Clarke could do worse than try to re-enlist Steven Fletcher’s help.

Scotland stand just two victories away from gaining a place at a major finals for the first time in more than two decades. The first of those play-off games, against Israel, was scheduled to take place at Hampden on Thursday, but with football in the midst of a coronavirus driven shutdown, even the revised June date currently seems highly optimistic. If they navigate the semi-final, whenever it is played, the Scots will face either Serbia or Norway.

Like everyone else, McLeish is waiting to see when the fixtures can be fulfilled, but he believes that having waited so long for the big opportunity, the national side need to make the most of it when it come around. For McLeish, that means bolstering the squad by convincing Fletcher to return to the fold.

Following lengthy lay-offs, Leigh Griffiths and Steven Naismith had been playing their way back into Steve Clarke’s thoughts ahead of the league suspension but, keeping an eye on Fletcher and his performances in the English Championship, the man who had two spells as the helm says his successor should not overlook the 32-year-old former Sunderland striker, who has ten goals in his 33 international appearances.

He ruled himself out of the reckoning towards the end of McLeish’s tenure, citing a need to manage a knee injury and has not featured since Clarke took over, with the former Kilmarnock boss stating it is up to Fletcher to make himself available again.

The striker has been in and out of the national set-up but, after his most recent recall, by McLeish, he led the line in a team decimated by injuries and call-offs to defeat Albania 4-0. Fletcher scored a penalty but his contribution was key throughout that appearance and on into the next match, a win over Israel, which secured Scotland a play-off place.

“You can see the momentum Stevie [Clarke] got in the last three games and it is about taking that forward into the Israel game,” said McLeish.

“The last Israel game at Hampden was fantastic. If we can get more of that type of attacking performance there is no reason why we can’t win.

“James Forrest was great and there were three or four other guys who came through as well – you think of Ryan Christie’s running from midfield – but one of the significant things for me about that night – and the previous game against Albania – was having Fletcher up front. He was a focal point who brought everybody else into play. It was the missing link.”

Asked if he hoped Clarke would include the player in the next squad, with Scotland’s shot at qualifying for a major finals for the first time since 1998 at stake, he was unequivocal. “Yes. Let’s hope he does!

“With the other guys, Oli McBurnie should be getting a wee bit more confidence and belief in himself. I thought he was very unlucky in his first game, against Costa Rica, when he had three or four chances. With a bit of different technique he might have got himself a goal, well, one or two. He is still a young guy who is trying to find the answers. But, Fletcher is at a stage now where he has got most of them.”

Clarke is also likely to have Griffiths at his disposal. “He is renowned for his finishing,” said McLeish, “and his form last time around, when he was in the team, as we know, was of the highest standard. Look at his goals against England.”