CAPITAL stars Steven Fletcher and Christophe Berra were today named in the Scotland squad to face the Czech Republic at the end of this month.
It's the second time the duo have been called up having been included in national coach George Burley's first squad which drew 1-1 with Croatia in March.
Hibs striker Fletcher made his full debut in that match playing 45 minutes at Hampden Park b
efore injury forced him to be replaced at half-time while Hearts captain Berra was an unused substitute.
Scotland are using the game in Prague as a warm-up clash ahead of their World Cup Qualifying campaign which begins with a trip to Macedonia in September.
Former Hibs stars Kevin Thomson and Steven Whittaker could be in line to make their international debuts having been called up while there is also a first inclusion for Motherwell striker Ross McCormack.
However, there are no places for Rangers quartet Allan McGregor, Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch and David Weir, while Celtic midfielder Scott Brown has also been omitted.
Burley said of his selection: "I've got a youthful squad, there are five uncapped players and they will get a feel for it.
"We have 16 players who are 26 and under, so it is a squad who are progressing in their careers and who are still improving. We are looking forward to the next few years. It's a game at the end of the season and we are looking for young, fresh players with something to prove.
"I'm a firm believer that, if you do well with the under-21s, you should move up to the senior squad."
Speaking of skipper Barry Ferguson's absence for the trip to Prague, Burley explained: "Barry has been struggling for the last few months with an ankle problem and, because of the amount of games he's played, I thought it was important to allow that to settle down."
Burley also waded into the Rangers fixture row ahead of next week's UEFA Cup final in Manchester. He added: "It's ridiculous at this stage of the season that I'm naming the squad and Rangers still have seven games to play.
"It's something that shouldn't be allowed to happen and it's something that the SPL and everyone in Scottish football has got to look at.
"It shouldn't happen to any club. They are being punished for their success in reaching the UEFA Cup final and that has to be looked at in the fullness of time."
Scotland: Gordon (Sunderland), Marshall (Norwich); Anderson (Sunderland), Berra (Hearts), Caldwell (Celtic), Dailly (Rangers), Hutton (Tottenham), McManus (Celtic), McNaughton (Cardiff), Naysmith (Sheff Utd), Whittaker (Rangers); Fletcher (Man Utd), Hartley (Celtic), Morrison (West Brom), Rae (Cardiff), Robson (Celtic), Thomson (Rangers); Boyd (Rangers), Fletcher (Hibs), McCormack (Motherwell), McFadden (Birmingham), Maloney (Aston Villa), Miller (Derby).
The full article contains 477 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
