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Your support makes all the difference.Rainer Bonhof, the Scotland Under-21 coach, plans to borrow two players from the senior squad to bolster his side's chances against Iceland and Lithuania.
Several players have already pulled out of the forthcoming European Under-21 Championship double-header and Bonhof will speak to Berti Vogts, the national team coach, about drafting in Andy Webster and Gary Caldwell. It was that pair's performance in Vogts' "Future Squad" friendly against Turkey last month that earned them call-ups to the senior squad for Scotland's crucial Euro 2004 qualifiers against Iceland and Lithuania.
Bonhof said his defence has been depleted by the withdrawals of the Old Firm pair, Stephen Crainey and Andrew Dowie. He said: "Maybe I can agree with Berti that he sends me two players, Andy Webster and Gary Caldwell. He was busy yesterday because it was the first day of the gathering and I didn't speak to him then, but I should know tomorrow.
"Gary Caldwell has not only had a good performance in the Under-21s in the last couple of matches, he also played in Germany and Turkey for the "Future Squad" and did a good job on both occasions. Everyone is fit in the A squad so it makes sense to give them the chance to get more experience in the Under-21s. It is good to know that we always have this sharing of the players – it's good for my players here in the Under-21s because if they do well, there is always the chance to go into the A squad."
As well as Crainey and Dowie, Stuart Duff, David Noble and Garry O'Connor have pulled out but the Sheffield United midfielder Nick Montgomery – who had also withdrawn – could be set to rejoin the squad. Despite fears over an ankle injury, he was due to play in last night's First Division game against Gillingham.
Bonhof's side won their first qualifier against Iceland and he is looking for maximum points from the next two games, against Iceland in Cumbernauld on Friday and Lithuania in Vilnius a week tonight, to pile the pressure on his own nation, Germany. He said: "That is what I wish for and I also want it for the players to get six points from this double-header. In football no one knows what will happen but it would be nice to get the points to put the Germans under a little pressure when they come here in June."
Bonhof has enjoyed great success since taking on the newly-created full-time role a year ago, but he could face the wrath of clubs on both sides of the border with his intention to take his players to Germany for a summer camp – days after the new campaigns in Scotland and England get underway.
"I already have my fingers crossed that we can do something in the summer," he said. "The good thing is that we have the contacts and we should have a decision in the next month."
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