Steven Fletcher

[EanieMeany]

Asked on Twitter if he'd accept a call up from Craig Levein next month, Steven Fletcher has said "yes."

 

Will we see him and Rhodes paired up in Cardiff?

[ThornTON]

Asked on Twitter if he'd accept a call up from Craig Levein next month, Steven Fletcher has said "yes."

 

Will we see him and Rhodes paired up in Cardiff?

Rhodes won't play...

 

http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday...evein-1-2529790

[Dr Zhivago]

Asked on Twitter if he'd accept a call up from Craig Levein next month, Steven Fletcher has said "yes."

 

Will we see him and Rhodes paired up in Cardiff?

 

With Levein being quoted in today's papers as saying Rhodes isn't ready for international football, there's very little chance of that. He also won't go grovelling to Fletcher, which I agree with.

 

Have to admire his courage in a way. The easy option would to go with what the fans want by picking Rhodes, and if it didn't work out.. nobody could complain. Like most though, I totally disagree with Levein and think Rhodes should be one of the first picks for Scotland. Think he is a very stubborn and arrogant guy.. who will probably be sacked next month.

[Malt]

Rhodes who is playing in the championship and now has two goals is not ready but Ian Black of the SFL 3 is ready to play?

 

Levin is a ****ing fool!

 

He welcomes back McGregor, Barry Ferguson and Boyd yet he can't sit down with Fletcher and sort it out...going to cost you, your job Craig!

 

Can't see a point v Wales or Belgium

[cmdc]

Rhodes who is playing in the championship and now has two goals is not ready but Ian Black of the SFL 3 is ready to play?

 

Levin is a ****ing fool!

 

He welcomes back McGregor, Barry Ferguson and Boyd yet he can't sit down with Fletcher and sort it out...going to cost you, your job Craig!

 

Can't see a point v Wales or Belgium

 

To be fair, Black came on for the last few minutes of a friendly, having been drafted in when a number of midfielders dropped out. I personally didn't really see the problem with Black being selected in that squad.

 

I do agree though that Rhodes - at 22 years of age, bang on form, and on the back of a big move - should be knocking on the door for a start v Wales and Belgium.

 

On Fletcher - that's a difficult one to assess. Whether Fletcher is being genuine or whether he sees an opportunity to undermine Levein isn't clear. After all, Levein DID pick him for a squad even after Fletcher spoke out about the Prafgue debacle.

[Spot Ton]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19617378

[chrissiboi]

That is fine coming from Levein as long as if it goes tits up he accepts responsibility and walks out of the job , he won't Saying Rhodes isin't ready for international football, why ?

 

MacGregor was afforded a return and he had two glaring off field faux pas yet Fletcher is seen beyond redemption.

[garymcc1874]

He's good at texting and social media anyway ... I wonder if he's actually told Levein personally that he wants to be considered? Most likely not because he's a t*** of a man who obviously doesn't want it enough.

 

Levein's comments on Rhodes are also a fcking shambles - banging them in all last season, and looking very likely to pick up where he left off after an £8m move. CL's comments are a joke.

 

We'll be playing with Kenny fcking Miller up front again next month - who has 0 goals in 8 appearances now I believe, in a complete diddy league.

[SpoonTon]

On Fletcher - that's a difficult one to assess. Whether Fletcher is being genuine or whether he sees an opportunity to undermine Levein isn't clear. After all, Levein DID pick him for a squad even after Fletcher spoke out about the Prafgue debacle.

 

To be fair to Fletcher, he has consistently said in public that he was available for selection. The only time he didn't want to be picked was for the N.I. game (after losing his place in the Wolves team). The problem is that Levein wants a personal apology before he's allowed back in, and neither will make the first move. This whole things should have been a non issue that Levein sorted out in a few weeks.

 

The other problem is that every time Levein opens his mouth he sounds like an arrogant t***. There was no need to make those comments today about Rhodes (who will probably match Miller's Championship goals last season by next month).

[TAFKAC]

Rhodes won't play...

 

http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday...evein-1-2529790

Has he seen Rhodes play? Astonishing comments. I've never been one to criticise Levein too much, but it reads as if the job is getting to him.

[tommydoc]

Saying Rhodes isin't ready for international football, why ?

 

Why? because he likes to undermine players in public.

Since his early days as National Manager he has said totally unnecessary things about a few Scotland players. In those days he publicly stated that he wouldn't pick, Steven Fletcher, Shaun Maloney, and Derek Riordan because they 'didn't do enough defensively'. More recently, Lee Wallace, and other Rangers players couldn't be picked because they weren't playing at a high enough level, but call-offs meant he had to backtrack and pick Black.

There are many more instances where Levein should have kept his mouth shut about players that he one day might have to call upon, but because I have hated the khunt since 4-6-0, and the resulting stooshie with Fletcher, I have taken little interest in anything he says.

 

His early mantra that players can only be picked if they are playing regularly for the clubs is another load of bolllocks that he never stuck to. As is his bolllocks about 'hard to leave out players who are playing well, and/or scoring for their club, gets them top of the pecking order'.

 

He's got his favourites, and it doesn't matter how well they are performing for club, or indeed country, they are guaranteed a start. What kind of message is he sending out to fringe players, or players who are playing well and/or scoring goals, when they can see as well as us, that Miller is finished, Morrison is useless, Gary Caldwell is our best centre half but woefully off the pace in midfield, and many others are just not operating as they should.

 

[Rasta Ton]

Add James McFadden to that list - one bad performance, Levein slates him and then drops him. Lucky for Levein Faddy got his bad injury as even if he was fit I still don't think he'd be in the squad. Levein has cut off not only his nose but also his eyes and ears to spite his face but his too bad he hasn't cut off his tongue too with the amount of delusional pish he talks.

[Dr Zhivago]

Thinking on it, the 'he isn't ready to play international football' comment is actually a horrific bit of man-management.

 

Levein is talking about a young player that HE is picking for the Scotland squad, Scotland's brightest striking prospect in years, yet he has stated that the player isn't ready for international football. It's like he is wanting to alienate the player and dent his confidence.

 

Levein really doesn't have a clue how to deal with people.. players, press, fans - he has had a go at the lot! The bosses at Hampden should be considering this along with the dreadful results under Levein. He doesn't deserve the chance to lead the team into the games next month.

[cmdc]

Morrison is useless

 

He didn't play great v Serbia or Macedonia (though still created chances in both games), but he's certainly not useless. You only need to watch him in the Premiership where he has been a stand out for West Brom, resulting in Steve Clarke giving him a contract extension. He's one of the few players we have with a bit of class about him.

[TRVMP]

Thinking on it, the 'he isn't ready to play international football' comment is actually a horrific bit of man-management.

 

Levein is talking about a young player that HE is picking for the Scotland squad, Scotland's brightest striking prospect in years, yet he has stated that the player isn't ready for international football. It's like he is wanting to alienate the player and dent his confidence.

 

Levein really doesn't have a clue how to deal with people.. players, press, fans - he has had a go at the lot! The bosses at Hampden should be considering this along with the dreadful results under Levein. He doesn't deserve the chance to lead the team into the games next month.

 

Yep - reminded me of Walcott under Sven. Rooney sent off and Walcott's the only forward on the bench. Does he bring him on? Nope - because he isn't ready. Once again, that's a failure of management, not the player. There was a real argument (unlike in Rhodes' case) that Walcott wasn't ready and Sven was right. If so, why select him at all? It all comes back to the manager.

[tommydoc]

Morrison - the only chance he created against Serbia was the high punt into the box that K. Miller misjudged, and against Macedonia the only contribution was playing the ball through for Mackie in the build up to K. Millers goal.

 

I don't care how he plays for West Brom, he's been useless for Scotland. An attacking midfielder with a strike rate of creating 1.5 chances in the last two games, and 1 goal in 23 games is a poor return, and on top of that I can remember very few chances he's created in the previous 21 games. I can remember various shots from outside the box, once hitting the woodwork, but everything else missing the target, in varying degrees of wildness.

 

Prove me wrong, give examples of where he's shown a 'bit of class' for Scotland. What he does for Scotland is what matters, not what he does for West Brom.

[cmdc]

Morrison - the only chance he created against Serbia was the high punt into the box that K. Miller misjudged, and against Macedonia the only contribution was playing the ball through for Mackie in the build up to K. Millers goal.

 

I don't care how he plays for West Brom, he's been useless for Scotland. An attacking midfielder with a strike rate of creating 1.5 chances in the last two games, and 1 goal in 23 games is a poor return, and on top of that I can remember very few chances he's created in the previous 21 games. I can remember various shots from outside the box, once hitting the woodwork, but everything else missing the target, in varying degrees of wildness.

 

Prove me wrong, give examples of where he's shown a 'bit of class' for Scotland. What he does for Scotland is what matters, not what he does for West Brom.

 

Touchy! I'm just saying he's a very good footballer is all - as he has proven consistently over the past few years in the Premiership. Personally, I don't see who is a better option in the role that he plays. He's been alright for Scotland. He changed the game in our favour when he came on against Lichtenstein and was excellent and created a goal against Spain at Hampden. I can't really be bothered trying to think of more. The ball to Miller was no 'punt' though, and the ball he played to Miller just before that (resulting in a save by their keeper) really was a tocuh of class.

[lazy_ar*e_student]

He's good at texting and social media anyway ... I wonder if he's actually told Levein personally that he wants to be considered? Most likely not because he's a t*** of a man who obviously doesn't want it enough.

 

Levein's comments on Rhodes are also a fcking shambles - banging them in all last season, and looking very likely to pick up where he left off after an £8m move. CL's comments are a joke.

 

We'll be playing with Kenny fcking Miller up front again next month - who has 0 goals in 8 appearances now I believe, in a complete diddy league.

 

Apart from the one he scored last week...

[EanieMeany]

Morrison - the only chance he created against Serbia was the high punt into the box that K. Miller misjudged, and against Macedonia the only contribution was playing the ball through for Mackie in the build up to K. Millers goal.

 

I don't care how he plays for West Brom, he's been useless for Scotland. An attacking midfielder with a strike rate of creating 1.5 chances in the last two games, and 1 goal in 23 games is a poor return, and on top of that I can remember very few chances he's created in the previous 21 games. I can remember various shots from outside the box, once hitting the woodwork, but everything else missing the target, in varying degrees of wildness.

 

Prove me wrong, give examples of where he's shown a 'bit of class' for Scotland. What he does for Scotland is what matters, not what he does for West Brom.

 

Agree entirely. I suspect the "EPL" tag is his biggest attribute in a Scotland shirt, because his performances have been honking the vast majority of the time.

 

Back to Fletcher: my understanding of what actually happened was that after publicly moaning about how he was ignored and felt badly treated by Levein in Prague (daft, but who can really blame him for being raging about what happened there?), Fletcher then responded to a text from the squad liason guy before the next match saying "Why can't he speak to me himself?". Again, daft, but if a manager is going to spit the dummy out as dramatically as Levein has every time a player acts like a petulant wee boy, you'd never get a team on the pitch. The way Levein has manipulated the story has never sat well with me, with his constant stream of bitchy wee jibes about the player he's hardly made it easy for Fletcher to make the first move. Would you really want to go begging to a boss who had made you feel worthless and proceeded to have constant digs at you in the press? I wouldn't think so. I know there's the argument that it's all about playing for your country, but Levein is in my eyes by far the guiltiest party in all this. If he had picked up the phone on day one, none of this would have happened. He rambles on about how no one person's attitude etc can over-ride the time, but it would appear he thinks his own over-rides pretty much everything. I read an old-ish interview today in which he said something about "it's not about people losing face". Well you're the manager, buddy, get on the phone to the boy and do a bit of managing. I doubt there's many countries in the world who'd let a player of Fletcher's quality go just because the manager is in a wee cream puff.

 

The thing with Rhodes is ludicrous, how much more condescending could he be? A ridiculous statement to make about a guy who you picked in the first place.

 

The man is an arrogant buffoon, some of his statements are baffling. If he was getting results, you'd just about let him off with sounding like a bawbag (hello, Mr Mourinho), but when you're making an arse of things on the pitch you just sound like a guy who's lost the plot.

[tommydoc]

STV News at 6 has just reported than an unnamed SFA Spokesman has said "Fletchers return is unlikely" because Levein has "shut the door and it's unlikely to change". It might have been an idea for the News team or the SFA Spokesman to ask Levein what he thinks.

Or, does nobody have Leveins number. When Ross McCormack was trying to get back in the squad, he had to go through one of Leveins 'backing dancers', kitman or something.

If Levein does not respond publicly to Fletchers' tweet then he's an ever bigger fud than appearing at the moment, and that is some size o' fud.