David Weir set to become oldest-ever Scotland player
Rangers captain David Weir is in line to become the oldest-ever player to turn out for Scotland.
The 40-year-old looks set to feature in the national team’s UEFA 2012 European Football Championship qualifying matches against Lithuania on Friday and Lichenstein next week after manager Craig Levein described him as “the best player available” in his position.
However, the central defender refused to entertain talk of the remarkable statistic, saying the only number that matters is how many points the team can pick up in their qualifying group.
Weir told reporters that: “Maybe one day when I sit down, I'll get a bit of satisfaction from it. But, at the moment, I don't think of myself as a 40-year-old, I just think of myself as one of the other players.”
The player’s last cap came in a 1-0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat to eventual finalists Holland last September. When asked if he felt that match would bring down the curtain on his lengthy international career, he said that: "You never know. There's no point looking that far ahead. Football is funny, it can change quickly. There have been a few times in the past that I thought it would be my last cap. But, like I say, football is funny."
Weir was left out of Levein’s first two squads which faced qualifying group opponents Czech Republic and Sweden in friendly matches earlier this year, but with more important fixtures looming he has returned to the national team’s squad. As a result, he looks set to win his 66th cap this week.
Asked whether his age had an effect, he said that: "To be honest, it doesn't change anything. I enjoy playing in the games and being involved in the games. The game on Friday is what all our attention is on and I'm just trying to focus on that rather than worrying about how old I am. I'm just glad to be back. I'm looking forward to the game, it's a big game, it's a qualifier for the Euro Championships, and it's nice to be involved."
Despite his age, Weir is still managing to turn out for the defending Scottish Premier League champions regularly and, astonishingly, did not rule out the prospect of playing in the Euro 2012 finals — when he would be 42 years old.
He said that: "I wouldn't say I'm not going to play and I wouldn't say I definitely am going to play. I've never been one to look too far ahead or worry about a couple of weeks down the line, far less a couple of years down the line. Friday is a big, big game and you can't be losing sight of what's important." He probably shouldn't get too carried away though. For the past 11 incarnations of the tournament, going back to 1968, Scotland has tried to qualify but only made it in twice, in 1992 and 1996.
Weir started his career with hometown club Falkirk after attending the University of Evansville in Indiana on a Scholarship. He made 134 appearances for Falkirk and scored eight goals in four seasons there.
In 1996, he made the switch to SPL outfit Heart of Midlothian, with whom he won the Scottish Cup in 1998. He made 116 appearances for the Edinburgh club and scored 12 goals across all competitions before making the move to the English Premier League.
In February 1998, he moved to Everton in a £250,000 deal. He stayed with the club for eight years, playing under his future Scotland and Rangers boss Walter Smith, as well as David Moyes. He made 269 appearances for the Toffees and scored ten times but did not win any silverware.
In 2007, he signed an initial six-month deal with Rangers after being released from Everton. However, his strong performances in the heart of defence prolonged his stay and he went on to win two SPL titles, two Scottish Cups and a pair of Scottish League Cups with the club.
Weir is the only current Scotland player to have featured at the finals of a major international tournament after he played at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, featuring in matches against Norway, in which he made an appearance as a substitute, and Morocco, in which he played for the entire 90 minutes.
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