Burley full of praise for Fletcher passion

(GETTY IMAGES)

Darren Fletcher was singled out for extravagant praise by his national team manager yesterday as George Burley prepared for his debut match in charge of Scotland. Croatia, who humbled England in Euro 2008 qualifying, are sure to prove testing opponents when they arrive at Hampden this evening, but Burley is relishing his first game, and said that Fletcher, 24, embodied the type of player who can lead the Scots into a bright new era.

"Sir Alex Ferguson thinks the world of him," Burley said. "Because of the competition at Manchester United he doesn't play every week, but of late he's played his fair share of games.

"He's got great energy, he's enthusiastic, he's tenacious, he'll get forward and score. He's got a good range of passing and that's why a lot of clubs in the Premiership would take him. For me, he's a top-class international."

With seven Scots withdrawing from the squad injured – five of them likely to play in Saturday's Old Firm derby – Fletcher's enthusiasm alone for this friendly spoke volumes for Burley, not least because the midfielder has had a virus.

"He's desperate to play for Scotland," Burley said. "As soon as he arrived [late, on Monday] he asked 'Has the gaffer picked the side yet?'. He's got a real passion to play."

Burley said that Fletcher is "definitely" a player around whom he can build a side. "Darren enjoys the central areas, he's got the right attitude, the right quality and experience at the highest level."

It should be safe to assume Fletcher will start then, though given that Burley only has five midfielders remaining (including late call-up Gavin Rae, of Cardiff), his options are limited. Celtic's Scott Brown and Paul Hartley will also start, but a fourth midfield berth might go to the Aston Villa striker, Shaun Maloney, to add balance if Burley thinks Rae or Derby's Gary Teale are not as capable on the left.

Burley will make his final selection after training today. His other major decisions will be whether to hand Heart of Midlothian's Christophe Berra, 23, a first cap in central defence and who to start up front. Another Fletcher, Hibernian's Steven, 20, could make his senior bow there. A duo permed from him, Derby's Kenny Miller and Rangers' Kris Boyd is likely.

Burley insisted that "we'll be looking to win, but the performance is more important than the result." That's just as well: Scotland, incredibly, have not won a friendly at Hampden in 12 years, since beating Australia in 1996.

Croatia, slayers of England twice, are playing their first match since their mainstay front man, Eduardo, broke his leg. Their manager, Slaven Bilic, said yesterday the player will be invited to be a part of the Euro 2008 camp "because he has a big desire to be a morale-boosting factor".

Bilic warned Scotland: "We will approach [this week's] game as if it is a competitive game for points."

Ivan Klasnic, a Werder Bremen striker back in the Croatia fold after 18 months, could make history tonight by becoming the first international to play after major transplant surgery. He suffered kidney failure last year, received one of his mother's kidneys (rejected) and then one of his father's before returning to the game, and to fine form, in Germany.

Scotland (possible 4-4-2): Gordon (Sunderland); Hutton (Tottenham), Berra (Heart of Midlothian), McManus (Celtic), Naysmith (Sheff Utd); Brown (Celtic), D Fletcher (Man Utd), Hartley (Celtic), Maloney (Aston Villa); Miller (Derby), S Fletcher (Hibernian).

Croatia (possible 4-4-2): Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow); Simic (Milan), R Kovac (Borussia Dortmund), Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Corluka (Manchester City); N Kovac (Salzburg), Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Modric (Dynamo Zagreb), Kranjcar (Portsmouth); Petric (Borussia Dortmund), Olic (Hamburg).

Referee: T Hauge (Norway).