Defiant Ryan Fraser has insisted he’d walk over broken glass to play for Scotland — but not plastic.
The 25-year-old came under fire for missing the disastrous Euros qualifying defeat in Kazakhstan after being sidelined because of the artificial surface it was played on.
But the Bournemouth winger – who went straight back into Alex McLeish’s side for the 2-0 win in San Marino on Sunday and set up the fourth-minute opener – defended himself against those questioning his commitment to the cause.
The San Marino game was Fraser’s 39th of the season and his fourth for Scotland — but it’s still the one he missed that he’s having to justify.
He said: “I got a lot of abuse for it. I’m not going into the game and saying ‘I don’t want to play for Scotland’. I’ve had four injuries where I have been out for months on the end of playing on Astroturf — with Scotland as well.
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“I made a decision, the club made a decision, Scotland made a decision. It wasn’t just me who made it. So I didn’t play on it.
“Yeah, it was a bad result and I would have loved to have played in it, but I didn’t. I needed to come out on Sunday night and show what I could do if I got the opportunity.
“A lot of people have been saying, ‘I’d do anything to play for Scotland!’ I’d do anything to play for Scotland. But at the end of the day I need to look after myself as well. If I go out and do a knee, it’s career-threatening.
“I would have loved to have played. It’s one of them that is taken out of my hands as well. All I can do is get back in the team and try my best and do what I can do. It was frustrating watching it.”
