MIXU Paatelainen was delighted but not surprised yesterday by the inclusion of Steven Fletcher in the Scotland squad for next weekend's World Cup qualifier against Norway.
The Hibernian manager has seen his striker get over a lean spell and start scoring goals again, and is convinced that Fletcher's self-belief – as well, perhaps, as that of his team-mates – will receive a boost as a result of his selection by Scotland
manager George Burley.
"Great news, fantastic," Paatelainen said. "Good for him. It's always a confidence booster when a youngster is called up to the full squad. I'm sure Steven is delighted.
"(I'm] not surprised, because he works very hard, he plays very well, and he's started scoring goals again. Hopefully that carries on. He's worked very hard. He's an excellent goal- scorer, a good striker, so why not?" Asked if he thought the 21-year-old Fletcher deserved to start, Paatelainen replied in the positive, but explained he would not try to do the national manager's job for him. "I feel so, but my opinion doesn't count.
"It's Mr Burley who decides who's in the squad, who plays, who's in the under-21s. This time I'm delighted that Fletch is in there.
"Steven will get plenty from (the experience]. He'll learn from training with the best players in Scotland and playing against top teams like Norway. It's a good opportunity to learn."
A stalwart of Scotland's Under-21 side over the past couple of seasons, Fletcher made his full debut in the friendly against Croatia in March. He was back in the under-21s at the start of this season, but was drafted into the senior squad for the first two World Cup qualifiers, against Macedonia and Iceland.
Meanwhile, Paatelainen hopes to have Colin Nish back in the squad this weekend after the target man missed the 3-0 home defeat by Rangers on Sunday because of an ankle injury. "Hopefully, Colin will be back on Saturday. He is looking much better, but he's still feeling his ankle a little bit. Hopefully, the next couple of days will clear that."
The manager has yet to start Nish, Fletcher and Derek Riordan in the same team, but knows that having that trio on the pitch together for any length of time could cause serious problems for opposition defenders. "They're certainly goalscorers. Whether I will have them this weekend I don't know.
"Some time I would like to try that. Nish and Fletcher have been linking up well and helping each other score goals. Obviously with Derek being out there as well, defences can never relax because of his goalscoring talent."
Paatelainen has also still to make a decision on trialist Moroccan goalkeeper Khalid Sinouh as he looks for more competition between the posts. "I don't want to comment too much on that because it would only fuel speculation," he added.
"But he has been okay, training away. It's too early to say anything. We will keep monitoring his progress quietly and if we feel we want to do something then obviously we'll make an announcement."
Hibs go to Pittodrie tomorrow to play Aberdeen, who have yet to win at home this season. Jimmy Calderwood's side are far from the only SPL club who have fared better on the road than at their own ground, and on the last Saturday in August all six matches in the top flight were won by the away team.
That pattern of results, however, is more likely to be caused by a widespread inconsistency in a division where every team below the Old Firm is capable of beating any other one. Certainly Paatelainen does not believe that such results have arisen from any tactical changes made by coaches this season.
"If you're saying our home form hasn't been as good as it should be, I would say our away form hasn't been good enough. I was delighted we got a victory at Hamilton (two weeks ago]; hopefully we can add to that."
The full article contains 675 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
