Scotland captain sorts out priorities, with prospect of leading his youngest national team
The continuing rumours which surround Colin Hendry's relationship with the Rangers' coach, Dick Advocaat, were not on the agenda yesterday for the powerful defender who will captain his country here in Bremen tomorrow night, and who admitted on his arrival in the North German city that nothing would have prevented him being here.
Hendry may, with some justification, be unhappy at being left out of Rangers' team at Dens Park eight days ago, but the solidity he provided on his return against Aberdeen on Sunday gave the answer to that.
So, Hendry looks at the Scotland game against the Germans, admitting that he will have an eye on the Old Firm clash at Parkhead, but insisting: ''I really don't want to think too much about that match at this moment, because that would not be fair to the Scotland manager Craig Brown, and captaining my country is very important to me.
''All I will say is I am happy to be playing in the game here because it gives me another run out when I have been missing games at club level. It may tax me, but it won't affect me too much in that way - instead it could give me added match fitness before the Celtic match.''
Naturally, Hendry looks to what Scotland will do first of all, and he points out: ''There were all kinds of demands for young players to be brought into the side after the World Cup and here we might have one of the youngest international teams I have played in!
''While it is disappointing that some players have been forced to call off through injuries, it is also important that the younger lads being drafted in realise the opportunity which is there for them.
''They should try to grasp the chance of getting into the team and then doing enough to stay there. That is the important thing for them.
''As far as the team is concerned, we have lost ground in some ways since the World Cup because of one or two indifferent results. However, it has to be remembered that we are still in with the chance of qualifying for the European finals, even though we have suffered so badly through injuries.
''Germany, like ourselves, are in a transitional period and we have to remember they might be a bit vulnerable themselves. It is a hard game, but that is what we want.''
Hendry will start the game, but he may be one of the substitutions that team manager Brown is pondering as he attempts not to place too heavy a burden on the clubs whose goodwill he must rely upon.
With the latest call up to the squad, Hearts' Colin Cameron, there is less pressure on the team manager, as the player has been out for so long through injury that whatever run he gets against Germany can only help his Tynecastle club.
''Yet Cameron was quick to admit yesterday that six weeks ago he did not see his career
taking off as spectacularly as it has now done.
Injuries had sidelined him, and nothing that the specialists
recommended would work.
Then he reveals: ''I saw an osteopath in France who told me that my body was not balanced properly, and that my whole works were not right.
''Then he sent me to a dentist, and he told me that I should wear a mouth-guard and that this would adjust the balance of my body and rid me of the injury worries which were affecting me so badly.
''It worked, and I have never felt better. I think I am playing well again and the team has been gettting better results and here I am with Scotland. I can't quite believe it all.''
Cameron came close to missing his squad appearance when Brown decided to summon him. The player explained: ''I am going to visit my mother-in-law in the Middle East in the summer and I had sent my passport away to obtain a visa for Qatar. So I had to dash to the Passport Office in Glasgow and arrange for a temporary passport so I could come to Germany, and before that I had to get to Tynecastle to collect my boots! You can tell how well prepared I was.
''I think this is the first time that I have been glad of a delay in a flight, because I was able to do all of this with time to spare.''
The Scotland squad were four hours late departing Glasgow after a replacement aircraft had to be flown in. They did not arrive in Germany until closer to seven o'clock local time, instead of their original scheduled touch down, which was set for soon after lunch-time.
Today the team will train and look at the pitch, and then they will face the current European champions, with Hendry leading a young team which will include, at some stage, the 26-year-old Cameron, who will make his international debut, probably coming into the prestigious friendly at some time in the second half.
q Jim Lauchlan is a self-confessed admirer of the European football scene. That is why he can't wait to tackle Germany's Under-21 side in the friendly in Meppen tonight, even though he picked up an ankle injury in Kilmarnock's 2-1 defeat by Dundee at the weekend.
The talented defender is set to win his fifth cap at this level against the powerful home side. He said: ''I landed awkwardly on the ankle, but I hope to be fully fit for the game.
''I am really looking forward to the match, because playing against the Germans is going to be a real challenge, and it is nice to pit your wits against teams of this calibre.
''I look at meeting the Germans as another step in my football education. You can only learn from a game like this.''
The Scotland youngsters flew into Germany with Dundee United's Steven Thompson replacing Celtic's Mark Burchill, who called off because of an ankle injury.
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