Scotland boss Steve Clarke says Ryan Fraser was not missed and may not get his place back after the Newcastle winger pulled out of the squad in November.
Twenty-seven-year-old Ryan Fraser was called up to the Scotland squad for World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Denmark last month, but pulled out before the matches with a calf injury.
Fraser did then feature Newcastle United in the their next game against Brentford, after training with the Magpies, causing raised eyebrows back at his national squad, who went on to win both matches 2-0.
Now, ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in March, Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has said the Newcastle winger was not missed and implied he may not get another chance.
As reported by the Daily Record, Clarke 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.”
When Clarke was pressed he gave a clear message to Fraser and other Scottish players.
Clarke said: “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.”
Scotland play Ukraine at home on March 24.
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