Lithuania boss relents on threat to ban Zaliukas from Euro qualifier

MARIUS ZALIUKAS will not be frozen out of the Lithuanian national team after head coach Raimondas Zutautas today relented on his threat to exclude the Hearts defender from September's European Championship qualifier with Scotland.

Although irked by Zaliukas' refusal to play in last weekend's three-team Baltic Cup tournament, which Lithuania won, Zutautas' anger has reduced throughout this week and he is willing to recall the 26-year-old provided he is fully fit.

Zaliukas informed his national coach he needed to rest after a gruelling campaign at club level and already had a holiday booked which would prevent him participating in the Baltic Cup against Latvia and Estonia.

Zutautas said immediately after the competition that "maybe Zaliukas will stay out of the squad". However, he explained today that, while the player had missed an opportunity to impress watching scouts on international duty, he would be included against Scotland.

"If he is training and in good shape, of course he can play. I will come to see some matches," said Zutautas.

"For me, the important thing is that the first eleven guys against Scotland are the ones in the best shape.

"Whether this is Zaliukas or not does not matter. You cannot plan who is in the best shape. For the national team and for Zaliukas it is important to be ready for this game.

"He didn't come for the national team games in the Baltic Cup.

"He told me that he was very tired and he had already booked a vacation. I wanted him to play in the Baltic Cup and he said, 'I'm tired, I want to rest myself for the new season and prepare myself very well'.

"He is still a young player and we could help him. This is the top of his career and if you don't play for the national team you cannot play in England or any other country. He didn't think about it. I think he must pay more attention to the national team from now on. At the Baltic Cup, a lot of agents and scouts come from other clubs to see the players.

"He missed a lot because we won the tournament and we played very well. Two guys of a similar age played in his position (Arunas Klimavicius and Tadas Kijanskas] and in the future he could have a problem.

"He made a mistake and he didn't come. He was tired and he had a long season but many players had a long season. He must think about the future. Maybe he is too young, give him one or two years more to become a bit more clever."