Steve Clarke has fired a thinly-veiled barb at Ryan Fraser – and insisted he faces a massive fight to get back into his Scotland plans.
The national coach didn’t think his team missed the Newcastle winger in the World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Denmark last month after his controversial withdrawal.
Fraser pulled out of the games in Chisinau and Glasgow after citing a calf problem but was photographed training with his club.
Clarke has not discussed the situation with Fraser but says the form of his squad makes it tough for anyone to force a way in.
He said: “I haven’t spoken to Ryan. Obviously he wasn’t involved through his own choice in the November games.
“I don’t think we missed him, the team was good in both games, so Ryan could have his work cut out to be back in the squad.
“That’s just the nature of the competition for places.
"It’s not a squad that you want to give up your place in lightly.”
Asked if dialogue would take place before the March play-off against Ukraine, Clarke continued: “He doesn’t play regularly at Newcastle.
“I wouldn’t like to think the whole year ends up speaking about someone who’s chosen not to be in the squad rather than the boys who have.
“ Lyndon Dykes came to play when his ankle was hanging off.
“He joined us in Glasgow and took part in a training session and five minutes into the session you could see the boy was injured.
“But he didn’t want to admit it because he wanted to be part of the team. That’s the type of player I want in the squad.”
