Fletcher and Berra

[Hibernian Verse]

Good to see these two doing well in what looks like a well organised Wolves team. If only Levein would see sense and just include Fletch in the Scotland setup. When Berra first moved from Hearts it was clear that he needed time to settle in but he seems to have done so and despite being a product of Hearts' youth setup it does all bode well for the City's (and SPLs) reputation.

[PISTOL1875]

Good to see these two doing well in what looks like a well organised Wolves team. If only Levein would see sense and just include Fletch in the Scotland setup. When Berra first moved from Hearts it was clear that he needed time to settle in but he seems to have done so and despite being a product of Hearts' youth setup it does all bode well for the City's (and SPLs) reputation.
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Its not Levien's fault that Fletcher doesnt want to play for Scotland anymore.....

[BoltonHibee]

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Its not Levien's fault that Fletcher doesnt want to play for Scotland anymore.....

That's funny Fletcher never said he didn't want to play for Scotland again when I last spoke with him, very much the opposite in fact.

[Hibernian Verse]

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Its not Levien's fault that Fletcher doesnt want to play for Scotland anymore.....

I'm not exactly sure what happened initially but I'm sure Fletcher's stated his desire to play for Scotland recently. Would need to look it up though.

[NOLA]

up to Fletch to say he wants to be included in the next squads, not up to harry.

[Lucius Apuleius]

Seem to recall Fletcher said he did not want to play in one game and Harry took it the wrong way (ooooeerrr missus). Not a shock, but the two of them need to grow up and speak to each other. Ridiculous state of affairs IMO.

[Sir David Gray]

I'm not exactly sure what happened initially but I'm sure Fletcher's stated his desire to play for Scotland recently. Would need to look it up though.

I don't think there's been any contact from Fletcher since he sent a text to Levein in February telling him he didn't wish to be considered for selection for the Celtic Cup against Northern Ireland.

Levein has stated that Fletcher is still in contention but that he'll have to tell him that he wants to play for Scotland again before he'll name him in a squad.

I've no time for Levein but I suppose that's fair enough.

The only bit that he falls down on was his reasoning for why Fletcher wasn't picked last year. He said that he hadn't been playing much for Wolves so he couldn't pick him for Scotland.

Alan Hutton's not played for Spurs for five months and yet he's made the squad for next week's qualifiers.

Danny Wilson also barely plays any football for Liverpool's first team.

Barry Bannan doesn't feature much for Aston Villa.

Darren Fletcher hasn't played any football for Manchester Utd this season.

James Forrest doesn't play very often for Celtic.

If he's going to use that reason for not picking Fletcher then that's fair enough but he should at least be consistent.

[Saorsa]

I don't think there's been any contact from Fletcher since he sent a text to Levein in February telling him he didn't wish to be considered for selection for the Celtic Cup against Northern Ireland.

Levein has stated that Fletcher is still in contention but that he'll have to tell him that he wants to play for Scotland again before he'll name him in a squad.

I've no time for Levein but I suppose that's fair enough.

The only bit that he falls down on was his reasoning for why Fletcher wasn't picked last year. He said that he hadn't been playing much for Wolves so he couldn't pick him for Scotland.

Alan Hutton's not played for Spurs for five months and yet he's made the squad for next week's qualifiers.

Danny Wilson also barely plays any football for Liverpool's first team.

Barry Bannan doesn't feature much for Aston Villa.

Darren Fletcher hasn't played any football for Manchester Utd this season.

James Forrest doesn't play very often for Celtic.

If he's going to use that reason for not picking Fletcher then that's fair enough but he should at least be consistent.Fletcher said he didnae want tae be considered for one game, that seems simple enough tae me, why does Potter need tae be telt anything after that by Fletcher? If Fletcher said he wisnae available for one game why does that mean he's not available for selection after that game with out saying anything else? Potter is a tool, he spent plenty of time chasing after ex huns who didnae want tae play again for Scotland.

[Speedy]

Fletcher said he didnae want tae be considered for one game, that seems simple enough tae me, why does Potter need tae be telt anything after that by Fletcher? If Fletcher said he wisnae available for one game why does that mean he's not available for selection after that game with out saying anything else? Potter is a tool, he spent plenty of time chasing after ex huns who didnae want tae play again for Scotland.

Potter may be a tool but when someone sends their manager a text saying they don't fancy playing the next game why should the manager accept that without question and chase the player to play for the next game.

Could you imagine if one of our current players sent CC a text saying he didn't want to play on Sunday. Would you accept him back for the next week or would you think he had an attitude problem and perhaps that he thinks he's bigger than the club?

Fletcher needs to explain himself imo as it comes across as he feels he can pick and choose to play whenever he fancies it. If it was Andy Webster or Lee Wallace that done the same they'd be getting lynched on here.

[Sir David Gray]

Fletcher said he didnae want tae be considered for one game, that seems simple enough tae me, why does Potter need tae be telt anything after that by Fletcher? If Fletcher said he wisnae available for one game why does that mean he's not available for selection after that game with out saying anything else? Potter is a tool, he spent plenty of time chasing after ex huns who didnae want tae play again for Scotland.

I wouldn't disagree with your assessment of Levein but this does go a lot deeper than Fletcher asking not to be selected for one match.

Last October, he was selected for the double header against Spain and the Czech Republic but he didn't play in either match. Afterwards Fletcher criticised Levein's tactics against the Czechs and brought Charlie Adam into it. I don't think Levein was too happy, particularly with the last bit. Levein received a lot of flak (justifiably in my opinion) in the media for his infamous 4-6-0 approach but I don't think it's the place of the players to publicly slate the manager. Leave that up to the fans and media.

Then, last November, Levein left him out altogether for the friendly against the Faroe Islands.

In February, he decided to recall him but Fletcher, obviously still unhappy with what had happened previously, pulled out of the squad to face Northern Ireland and sent a text to an SFA official.

To be honest, if I'm a coach of an international team and I hear that one of the players has asked not to be considered for selection, I would expect that player to then contact me when he DID want to make himsef available again. As far as I'm aware, Fletcher has not done this so I really can't blame Levein for stating that it's up to Fletcher to make the first move.

[Hibercelona]

Potter may be a tool but when someone sends their manager a text saying they don't fancy playing the next game why should the manager accept that without question and chase the player to play for the next game.

Could you imagine if one of our current players sent CC a text saying he didn't want to play on Sunday. Would you accept him back for the next week or would you think he had an attitude problem and perhaps that he thinks he's bigger than the club?

Fletcher needs to explain himself imo as it comes across as he feels he can pick and choose to play whenever he fancies it. If it was Andy Webster or Lee Wallace that done the same they'd be getting lynched on here.

Playing for your country is different than playing for your club though. You can choose whether you want to play for your country or not and he chose not to play for Scotland in that particular game.

For all we know, he could have had personal reasons for not being able to do so. I don't think a player should be aloud to walk straight back into the sqaud after turning down a game, I do however think its ridiculous to disregard a player completely, just because they werent able to attend 1 game.

[Sir David Gray]

Playing for your country is different than playing for your club though. You can choose whether you want to play for your country or not and he chose not to play for Scotland in that particular game.

For all we know, he could have had personal reasons for not being able to do so. I don't think a player should be aloud to walk straight back into the sqaud after turning down a game, I do however think its ridiculous to disregard a player completely, just because they werent able to attend 1 game.

I think Levein has said on a couple of occasions now that, should Fletcher come out publicly and state that he wishes to be made available for international selection again, he'll be considering him.

As far as Levein is concerned at the moment, because he hasn't heard from him, he's under the impression that Steven Fletcher is still making himself unavailable to play for Scotland.

[Hibercelona]

I think Levein has said on a couple of occasions now that, should Fletcher come out publicly and state that he wishes to be made available for international selection again, he'll be considering him.

As far as Levein is concerned at the moment, because he hasn't heard from him, he's under the impression that Steven Fletcher is still making himself unavailable to play for Scotland.

But how can we be sure that Fletcher hasn't tried to contact Levein in any way?

Fletcher stated himself that he wants to continue playing for Scotland. So I can't imagine that he hasn't attempted to contact Levein.

Just seems strange.

[CropleyWasGod]

But how can we be sure that Fletcher hasn't tried to contact Levein in any way?

Fletcher stated himself that he wants to continue playing for Scotland. So I can't imagine that he hasn't attempted to contact Levein.

Just seems strange.

...unless he's too proud/childish/up himself to do so? :dunno:

[Hibercelona]

...unless he's too proud/childish/up himself to do so? :dunno:

That may well be so.

But is it not also possible that Fletcher has been in touch with Levein, but Levein just doesn't want him in the team?

It would be pretty easy for Levein to deny ever having been contacted.

[GreenPJ]

Levein is taking a stance that he did not take with Barry Ferguson and that is what is annoying

[Speedy]

Playing for your country is different than playing for your club though. You can choose whether you want to play for your country or not and he chose not to play for Scotland in that particular game.

For all we know, he could have had personal reasons for not being able to do so. I don't think a player should be aloud to walk straight back into the sqaud after turning down a game, I do however think its ridiculous to disregard a player completely, just because they werent able to attend 1 game.

Perhaps on a contractual basis but the principle is the same. If you decide you can't be arsed to play in one game then you can't complain when you are not considered for the games that you decide you do want to play in.

Your second point clearly has a Hibs bias. Why are you giving him the benefit of the doubt? If it was personal reasons then he'd have phoned the manager and Levein would have no problem with it, you wouldn't send a text message.

As I said if this was an ex Hearts player then he'd be getting slated.

[PISTOL1875]

Levein is taking a stance that he did not take with Barry Ferguson and that is what is annoying

Barry big baws got kicked out.. Fletch decided not to play himself..

[Beefster]

That's funny Fletcher never said he didn't want to play for Scotland again when I last spoke with him, very much the opposite in fact.

It's irrelevant what he says to everyone else, it's Potter that he needs to speak to.


Seem to recall Fletcher said he did not want to play in one game and Harry took it the wrong way (ooooeerrr missus). Not a shock, but the two of them need to grow up and speak to each other. Ridiculous state of affairs IMO.

Potter has said that Fletcher just needs to say that he'd like to be considered again. Simple and fair enough. Fletcher's not a good enough player to be openly picking and choosing, from one game to the next, when he plays for his country.

[BoltonHibee]

I was replying to Pete1875, and his comments

[bighairyfaeleith]

Fletcher received a text from one of leveins assistants to say he had been picked for the NI game, fletch replied by text to say he didn't want to be included in that one game because he had important games coming up for wolves. As the NI game was effectively a friendly I don't see the problem.

However, levein within hours of that text told the daily rangers that fletch had quit scotland by text. Would you make the first move if you where fletch?

I wouldn't!!