Scots likely to miss captain vs. Croatia

Rangers and Scotland captain Barry Ferguson is off to the specialists today, after ankle problems have failed to improve, and it is now likely that he will not start, and possibly not play, against Croatia on the 26th. Rangers reported that their youngest-ever captain is going to miss tomorrow’s Scottish Cup quarterfinal with Partick Thistle, only the third match of the season they’ve had without him. The other two were also cup ties. Ferguson is on the 26-man squad named yesterday, but the question of his availability opens a hole both in Scotland’s central midfield and our captaincy. In terms of caps, Christian Dailly has the most of the rostered players, but I’m not sure that Dailly will himself see playing time. As this week goes on, I’ll look more at each of the positions and who I’d tip to get time, but Dailly is not in the starting eleven to my mind.

The captaincy is a little tricky. Most of the oldest, most experienced players on the roster, like Dailly, are those least likely to see action, and you would ideally like your captain to be on the pitch. If I had to put one name forward, it would be James McFadden. Barry Ferguson is unquestionably the team’s captain when he’s on the pitch, but if he is going to be off it, who better to inspire and lead the team than the Hero of France? Whoever ends up leading us onto the pitch, it’s only eight days now, and the excitement is building. George Burley has tipped his hand a little this week by stating that not only did March 26th birthday boy Steven Fletcher make the roster, but he will play, so we’ll see at least one of our two Edinburgh newcomers, and I expect we’ll see a bit of Christophe Berra as well. We’ll see.