David Marshall warned over Scotland future
Scotland national team coach Craig Levein has issued a warning to goalkeeper David Marshall over his international future. The player had pulled out of the squad to face Sweden in a friendly due to an injury to his elbow.
However, with Cardiff City facing a goalkeeping crisis ahead of a Carling Cup tie on the same night, the Scotland boss has publically cautioned Marshall that if he plays for Cardiff, Levein “wouldn't expect him to play for Scotland”.
Levein added that he did not expect Marshall to play in the cup game. He told BBC Sport that: "To be fair to him [Marshall] he arrived off a flight at 10 on Sunday night and went back down first thing in the morning. He's got a problem with his elbow that he's had for weeks and, in my opinion and the medical team's, he's not fit to play on Wednesday. I just want to get this idea across that if you're injured I'd still like them to come up and be with the squad, even for a night."
Levein revealed earlier this month that he would take a hard-line stance on any player not turning up for international duty to play for their club. Cardiff boss Dave Jones had pleaded with Levein not to name Marshall in the squad, as he is short of goalkeepers. Youngster Tom Heaton is set to start the Bluebirds’ clash with Burton but should Marshall make a recovery and play in the game instead, his international days would appear to be over.
Marshall’s withdrawal is one of a series of pull-outs from Levein's set-up. Lee McCulloch, Andy Webster (both Rangers), Alan Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur) and Graham Dorrans (West Bromwich Albion) had to withdraw from the squad, while Gary Caldwell (Wigan Athletic) and Craig Gordon (Sunderland) were not called up to the squad due to injury.
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