Craig Levein says no to newco caps as he leaves Wallace out of Scotland squad

[ian1964 10,409]

THE first Scotland squad of a new era in Scottish football was announced yesterday, and as expected it contained no players from newco Rangers.

 

 

Craig Leveinâ??s options have been further restricted after he acknowledged yesterday that it would be â??difficultâ? for him to select players who are operating in the fourth tier of the Scottish game.

 

As a result, Lee Wallace, who played in Scotlandâ??s last outing against the United States in May, has dropped out of contention. Ian Black is another player who appears to have sacrificed his international ambitions by signing for Rangers. Levein admitted Black was â??on the vergeâ? of being involved with the squad last season, when he was at Hearts.

 

Although he acknowledged the special circumstances, Levein questioned whether it is possible for a player to make the step up to international level after performing in such low-standard matches on a regular basis. This, he felt, remained the case even if the individual concerned has already proved himself to be international quality. Wallace has already made six appearances for Scotland but the cap he won after playing in the 5-1 drubbing by the United States earlier this summer looks likely to be his last for a while.

 

The Scotland manager drew an analogy with those British sportsmen and women who have tasted success in the Olympics. â??One of the key components of the performance system we [the Scottish Football Association] have in place [via performance schools] is that it is best v best, where you are testing yourself every single week at a high level,â? he said. â??If you look at Sir Chris Hoy, heâ??s had to down to England to compete with people who are at a similar level to him to enable him to push himself. The idea is that when you do your sport, every single day youâ??ve got to be at the top of your game to compete.â?

 

Levein was careful not to close the door completely on those who are prepared to play for Rangers after being enticed by generous contracts. However, he admitted â??it is difficult to think you can play at that level week in, week out and then go up to international level.

 

â??I have said consistently that Scottish players 
playing in the Premiership is good for the international team,â? he added. â??This is almost the opposite of that.

 

â??Ian Black was on the verge of being involved. Iâ??ve made a decision. Itâ??s not my job to give advice to players on where to play. I can understand the attraction of playing for Rangers, but I have to look at whatâ??s best for the international team. I am not closing the door. It could be we get to September and have a couple of injuries and have to bring these guys in.â?

 

The season is only a few daysâ?? old and already Levein has had his hand forced due to injuries. Celtic skipper Scott Brown has been left out of the squad as he struggles with a groin complaint. Although he missed his sideâ??s league opener against Aberdeen on Saturday, he should be available for the second leg of Celticâ??s Champions League qualifying clash with HJK Helsinki tomorrow night. â??He will get an injection after the game on Wednesday,â? revealed Levein. â??He didnâ??t play for Celtic on Saturday and he hasnâ??t trained so it is obviously an issue.â? Levein admitted that, when it came to the injury-prone midfielder, he was â??a little bit concerned about Septemberâ?, when Scotland kick off their World Cup 2014 qualifying campaign with home games against Serbia and Macedonia.

 

On the face of it, having no club at all should be as unhelpful for a playerâ??s international ambitions as playing for one in the Third Division. However, Levein insisted that the currently unattached Craig Gordon would have been named in the squad yesterday had it not been for a knee injury. â??The reason he is not in the squad is nothing to do with him not having a club, he is not fit,â? said Levein. â??Itâ??s been his decision not to go anywhere,â? he continued. â??He has had offers. He does not want to sign with anyone until he gets this sorted out. Itâ??s not as if he is in limbo.â?

 

Levein enthused about the re-emergence of Shaun Maloney at Wigan Athletic at the end of last season and confirmed that Jamie Mackie will start in the lone-strikerâ??s role in the absence of Kenny Miller, who has been given time off to settle in at Vancouver Whitecaps.

 

â?¢ Tickets for Scotland v Australia at Easter Road on Wednesday 15 August are available on 0844 248 5155, via http://www.ticket master.co.uk or by visiting the Hibernian ticket office.

 

 

SCOTLAND SQUAD

 

(to face Australia in a friendly at

 

Easter Road, Edinburgh, on 15 August):

 

Allan McGregor(Besiktas)

 

Matt Gilks(Blackpool)

 

David Marshall(Cardiff)

 

Alan Hutton(Aston Villa)

 

Phil Bardsley(Sunderland)

 

Christophe Berra(Wolves)

 

Gary Caldwell(Wigan)

 

Daniel Fox(Southampton)

 

Grant Hanley(Blackburn)

 

Russell Martin(Norwich)

 

Charlie Mulgrew(Celtic)

 

Andy Webster(Hearts)

 

Charlie Adam(Liverpool)

 

Barry Bannan(Aston Villa)

 

Don Cowie(Cardiff)

 

Graham Dorrans(West Brom)

 

James Forrest(Celtic)

 

Shaun Maloney(Wigan)

 

James Morrison(West Brom)

 

Robert Snodgrass(Norwich)

 

Matt Phillips(Blackpool)

 

Jamie Mackie(QPR)

 

Steven Naismith(Everton)

 

Jordan Rhodes(Huddersfield).

 

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/footba...quad-1-2453636

[ian1964 10,409]

ALLY McCOIST says Craig Levein blundered by leaving Lee Wallace out of his Scotland plans.

Wallace has been omitted by Scotland boss Levein for next weekâ??s Easter Road friendly against Australia.

 

But McCoist insists the left-back should be in.

 

The Gers boss â?? whose side face East Fife in the League Cup tonight â?? said: â??My view would be: â??Donâ??t rule my players out just because they are in Division Threeâ??.

 

â??Iâ??m not going to criticise Craig, but if youâ??re asking me if I think Lee is good enough to play for Scotland, then yes. 100 per cent.

 

â??I would argue weâ??ll have a better quality of player in here training than some of the boys who are going to be in international squads and training with them.â?

 

McCoist confirmed strikers Fran Sandaza, Kevin Kyle and Craig Beattie are in his signing thoughts.

 

Coisty, also looking at Brazilian defender Emilson Cribari, said: â??Sandaza and Kyle are on the radar and Charles Green has been speaking to Craig Beattieâ??s representative.â?

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scot...b-for-Lee.html

[54andcounting 0]

Its still the same old story....and Levein is embroiled in it. Scottish football is not being run properly.

 

He aint a manager and he's let himself down big time with this latest nonsense.

[ian1964 10,409]

CRAIG LEVEIN hopes Darren Fletcher can end his illness hell and help Scotland’s World Cup bid.

Fletch has been out for TEN months with a chronic bowel problem, sparking real fears his career was OVER. But Fletch, 28, played in a closed-doors match for Manchester United last week.

 

He’ll join gaffer Levein’s squad on Sunday before next week’s friendly with Australia at Easter Road — but only to train.

 

With qualifiers against Serbia and Macedonia in less than four weeks the boss said: “Darren played a bounce game. There has been a dramatic improvement in the last three or four weeks.

 

“I’m now being purely selfish, thinking, ‘he might be ready for September’.

 

“Is that possible? Listen, I don’t want to put any pressure on him. He’s had a helluva time.

 

“Let’s just see. For me it’s a good story he is coming up, he was really bouncy when I spoke to him and he is desperate to train.”

[UCF2008 0]

Hypocritical nonsense as usual from Levein. It's like his policy of snubbing players who aren't getting a regular game, unless they're [not] playing regularly in the EPL a la Fletcher and Hutton.

 

Not to worry as I wouldn't expect him to be in the job too much longer.

[54andcounting 0]

....and Lee Wallace hasn't any problems but he plays for 'the plague'.

 

Shocking state of the game no chance of making 2014 with the current men in charge. Shame on you Levein.

[ian1964 10,409]

“If you look at Sir Chris Hoy, he’s had to down to England to compete with people who are at a similar level to him to enable him to push himself. The idea is that when you do your sport, every single day you’ve got to be at the top of your game to compete.”

 

Just like you did ya prick and was sent homewards to think again

[andrew_2010 0]

Must admit, I have no respect for this fool. 4-6-0, the Spain model? Spain have Iniesta, Levein had Scott Broon. Worse than Burley, and Berti. Embarassment. Players that play reserve or no football OK for Scotland, but not "sevco" as I'm sure he'll be calling Rangers...

[ian1964 10,409]

RANGERS strikers Andrew Little and Dean Shiels have been included in the Northern Ireland squad to face Finland at Windsor Park.

 

Despite Scotland boss Craig Levein deciding against including any Ibrox players in his group to take on Australia, Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill seems less concerned by players plying their trade in the Scottish third division.

 

David Healy, Northern Ireland's all time top scorer with 35 goals, is without a club having left Rangers and is omitted from the 23-man squad.

 

Midfielder Sammy Clingan, himself unattached having left Coventry last summer, has also been left out despite being captain against Holland in June.

 

The only uncapped player in O'Neill's squad is 17-year-old midfielder Ryan McLaughlin, who has yet to play for Liverpool's first team.

 

Fulham defender Chris Baird is present, indicating that he has chosen to continue his international career having stated he was considering retirement.

 

Forward Kyle Lafferty, who recently signed for Swiss Super League club FC Sion, and West Brom midfielder Chris Brunt will be participating in their first games under O'Neill.

 

Jamie Ward and Martin Paterson are set to play up front in place of Healy and Warren Feeney, while Manchester United defender Jonny Evans is out with a foot injury.

 

Finland is the final friendly fixture before Northern Ireland begin qualification for the 2014 World Cup against Russia in Moscow on September 7.

 

O'Neill has lost both games since taking charge, shipping nine goals in defeats by Norway and Holland.

 

Northern Ireland squad for a friendly against Finland, at Windsor Park, Belfast, on August 15:

 

L Camp (Nottingham Forest), R Carroll (Olympiakos), A Mannus (St Johnstone), G McAuley (West Brom), R McGivern (Man City), A Hughes (Fulham), J McPake (Hibernian), L Hodson (Watford), C Cathcart (Blackpool), C Baird (Fulham), D Lafferty (Burnley), S Davis (Southampton), D Shiels (Rangers), C Brunt (West Brom), C Evans (Hull), P McCourt (Celtic), S Ferguson (Newcastle), O Norwood (Huddersfield), R McLaughlin (Liverpool), J Ward (Derby), M Paterson (Burnley), K Lafferty (Sion), A Little (Rangers).

[ian1964 10,409]

Jordan Rhodes(Huddersfield).

 

What division is Huddersfield in?