Starting spot for Weir

Levein announces starting XI for Kaunas clash

Last updated: 2nd September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Starting spot for Weir

Weir: Record-breaking appearance

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Craig Levein has named the side for Scotland's opening Euro 2012 qualifier against Lithuania on Friday night.

The manager has made eight changes from the team that started the recent friendly defeat to Sweden and looks likely to go with a 4-5-1 formation for his first competitive match in charge.

There is a more experienced look about the XI, especially in defence where Alan Hutton, Stephen McManus and Steven Whittaker will be joined by David Weir.

The Rangers centre-back is to become the oldest player ever to represent Scotland, having turned 40 in May.

Hutton, Weir, McManus and Whittaker will provide a shield for goalkeeper Allan McGregor, back in favour under Levein following the infamous 'Boozegate' affair.

Steven Naismith is expected to play in a wide role on the right with Barry Robson on the left, with a central midfield trio of Darren Fletcher, Lee McCulloch and Scott Brown.

Kenny Miller will start up front in Kaunas as Scotland look to make a winning start to their Group I campaign.

Paul Hartley and James McFadden are among the notable absentees but Levein is happy with the side he has selected, and dismissed suggestions that Weir might struggle with the demands of international football.

"Looking at the squad and looking at the squad that was available to me, David Weir is probably the best centre-back we have at this minute in time," he told Sky Sports News.

"He is playing week in, week out at the highest level and playing to such a standard that international football is something he can cope with easily."

Scotland team: McGregor, Hutton, Weir, McManus, Whittaker, Naismith, McCulloch, Fletcher, Brown, Robson, Miller.

Comments (3)

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Steven Smith (St Mirren fan) says...

I was quite optimistic going into this game, until i just saw the team, robson naismith and mculloch, are all decent pros but no more than that, the manager is clearly looking just to nick a victory maybe 1-0 or so, but is Mcfadden injured, Dorrans was outstanding last year is he injured, on kriss commons has great pace too Miller and Boyd were very impressive last year for rangers, and although i wouldnt play two up front against a top team we are playing Lithuania. rather than go down to another whimpering defeat, we should just go out and play attacking football against a team who we are clearly better than. I hope am i not proved right but this has a 1-0 or 2-0 Lithuania win written all over it with Hutton and Whittaker attacking all the time why not have two strikers, they will beat their markers on many occassions and then cross to an empty box as we have seen time and time again. And in my opinion if we do lose in the usual fashion then a lack of bravery from Craig Levein a manager whom i respect will be what costs us it.

Posted 00:23 3rd September 2010

Blue Nose (Rangers fan) says...

scotland will never improve as a football team unless all the young and talented players get away from the SPL if we sign skillfull players all they get is like the man above/below said kicked out of every game yes spl is a joke league but its a hard league and typical scotish mentality is if you cant beat them lets try to kick lumps out of them instead its grass roots football or a nations mentality that needs fixed ? i know what gets my vote WATP

Posted 23:21 2nd September 2010

Stephen Osborne (Rangers fan) says...

Can''t believe how backwards we are going, Scottish football has been embarrassed a lot over the past decade and it is about time someone did something about from grass root level. I don''t blame Levein for taking Weir, McGregor, McCulloch back as their is not enough talent breaking through. I am all for giving youth a chance but if these can play consistently play to a decent standard in the SPL then they should be no where near the Scottish set up, as lets be honest its not the toughest league in the world. You just need to look at Hibs, Dundee United, and Motherwell who are suppose to have the best young team in Scotland, they all kicked out of Europe at the first stage. With Weiss signing for Rangers he is showing us what level our 20 odd year olds should be aiming for, instead this young lad will be kicked out off every game and that is why Scottish football will never get better with managers insisting on eliminating the threat by kicking them and when their is only 1 good player per team it is easy to kick them off the park but when you play in Europe teams have 4 or 5 off these players and that is when Scottish team get found out and that translates to the national team!!!! Too many coaches care about winning trophies and games with kids teams at the age off 12 and 13, rather than trying to teach these kids the fundamentals and work on the foot work they get taught to kick it out defense up to the strikers, 50 years out off date, and this has to change, when we do finally realise we have to change it will be 10-15 years before we see the results so we have to do it now!!!!! Sad day when we need to play 4 5 1 against Lithuania, again not blaming Levein as he has to play the formation which suits the players he has, and most teams in the squad play 4 5 1 at club level!

Posted 21:45 2nd September 2010
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