Thread: Fox one of 4 Scotland withdrawls

Danny Fox, Robert Snodgrass, Kevin Thomson and Garry O'Connor have all withdrawn through injury from the Scotland squad to face Japan.

Hearts' Lee Wallace could debut after being drafted in as a replacement for left-back Fox, while Aberdeen striker Lee Miller has also been called in.

Former England Under-21 Fox had been poised to switch allegiances but will need to wait for his Scotland bow.

He missed Celtic's defeat by R*ngers with a dead leg and hamstring tear.

R*ngers midfielder Thomson also missed his side's 2-1 win on Sunday with a knee injury.

Forward Snodgrass, who was in line to make his full international debut, was not in Leeds United's squad for the 0-0 draw with Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

I was a lot more confident last season and hopefully this will help me keep improving

Hearts full-back Lee Wallace

Striker O'Connor played the full 90 minutes of Birmingham City's 2-1 defeat by Burnley but was limping badly in the final 10 minutes after taking a knock on the leg after the Blues had made all three substitutions.

Cheshire-born 23-year-old Fox had impressed after joining Celtic from Coventry City this summer and is eligible because of a Scottish grandfather.

Replacement Wallace has been capped by Scotland at Under-21 level and there was much media debate when Fox was originally chosen ahead of the 22-year-old for the trip to Yokohama.

But the Hearts full-back admits that his form this season has yet to match the highs of last term.

"I was a lot more confident last season and hopefully this will help me keep improving as I'll be training with a lot of top-quality players," he told Hearts' website.

"It may be a friendly, but Japan are still a top team and of course I want to play.

"I know I wasn't in the original squad, but I just accepted that and knew I just had to get on with my game and keep doing what I had been doing."

Meanwhile, Scotland manager George Burley faces an anxious wait for news of whether Fox's Celtic team-mate, Scott Brown, will be fit enough to travel.

While the rest of the squad began to gather on Monday, the midfielder was due to visit a specialist in London about a troublesome ankle injury following Sunday's Old F**m derby.

There could yet be further withdrawals from the Celtic camp since Shaun Maloney suffered an Achilles injury, while Stephen McManus had stitches inserted in a head wound at Ibrox.

R*ngers striker Kenny Miller had been left out of Burley's squad as he is seeing a specialist for a hamstring injury but played against Celtic, scoring both his side's goals.

Forwards James McFadden and Ross McCormack were excused the long trip as they are both coming back from injuries.

Hope all our injured/doubtfull players are pulled out of this one, pointless friendly when our players need the rest as we are short for numbers already!

Stupid pointless friendly, i hope our lads don't play it then.

Originally Posted by Diegan

Stupid to fly to the other end of the world when it's not needed. I have no idea how this friendly benefits either nation.

It wasn't scheduled yesterday you know...
At the time Japan had just qual'd for WC and Scotland was still 2nd in their group. You are aware not everyone at the World Cup comes from the Americas and Europe, right?

That said, given the current situation... I can't blame Scots for dropping out and Mowbray making a stink about guys like Brown flying over. Not much point in it except keeping Burleys' head off the chopping block.

Originally Posted by Diegan

I know the history behind the fixture, and it still doesn't make sense to fly all that way. You'd think if anything Japan would play in Scotland since there are no Scottish players in Asia, but a few Japanese players in Europe. It's just the logistics that I don't think make sense...

Japan has an ACQ at home on the 8th, and also scheduled a second friendly for the 14th (Togo). I suspect Scotland wasn't able to offer a 2nd friendly.
The possibility of playing in Europe was probably there, however. Japan was in Netherlands last month, will be in South Africa next month, and are trying to schedule a trip to England as well.

Good for Fox, he escaped this time. Who knows he might one day get a call up for a half decent international side.

I'm dissapointed snodgrass pulled out.

It's the fans I feel sorry for, imagine paying hard earned money to go and watch that mob in Japan? Even worse it'll end up being under 21's with a couple of fit players from the championship. Tartan army or no tartan army, fuck that for a game of soldiers.

Originally Posted by Cash67

It's the fans I feel sorry for, imagine paying hard earned money to go and watch that mob in Japan? Even worse it'll end up being under 21's with a couple of fit players from the championship. Tartan army or no tartan army, fuck that for a game of soldiers.

I saw an article earlier where they were looking for a midfielder from League 1.


SFA = Joke.
I'm glad I didn't schedule my vacation for this friendly now. Hong Kong will provide a better contest on Thursday.

Originally Posted by Kenshin

I saw an article earlier where they were looking for a midfielder from League 1.


SFA = Joke.
I'm glad I didn't schedule my vacation for this friendly now. Hong Kong will provide a better contest on Thursday.

If it's snodgrass from leeds it's not as lulzy.He's pretty highly rated and was instrumental in us getting to that u21 championship final a few years back, the lad even knocked back a trial from barcelona.

Originally Posted by Hoopymo

If it's snodgrass from leeds it's not as lulzy.He's pretty highly rated and was instrumental in us getting to that u21 championship final a few years back, the lad even knocked back a trial from barcelona.

No it was from today after Snodgrass pulled out.

There were no details given about their injuries, but they have forced manager George Burley to look to England's League One for midfield cover in the shape of Hughes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ls/8290548.stm