Free transferred out of Britain’s leading club after a lengthy spell battling serious illness and struggling to get back into the Scotland team he had previously captained Darren Fletcher’s career looked to be in irreversible decline a year ago.
Moving into his thirties he consequently might easily, like others before him, have chosen to focus on the day job and accept that the pursuit of international dreams was over.
READ MORE: Gordon Strachan realistic about Scotland limitations ahead of difficult double-header
Instead, clearly as fit as he has ever been, as a record of playing every league game for West Brom last season demonstrates, there is an unerring logic to his continuing desire to re-establish himself as central to Scotland manager Gordon Strachan’s planning given his view of the squad and the chance that represents to play at a major tournament at last.
"Not sounding too cocky but that speaks volumes of the quality in the squad,” Fletcher said of the difficulty he has had in getting game time.
“For me, it's the most talented squad we've had. We have had different squads over the years, going back to the time we nearly qualified under Walter (Smith) we were strong, really physical. We had a sprinkling of quality with Faddy (James McFadden) in advanced areas but we were really strong defensively and were physically quite a strong team, whereas now I feel we've got a lot of quality and competition for places, real good players and the manager wants us to play, to take the game to teams.
“In terms of ability, it's the best squad I've been around as a Scotland player without a doubt.”
Which only makes these forthcoming matches all the more relevant, resonant as meetings with Italy and France are of what Fletcher considers to have been the best campaign he has been involved in during a Scotland career that began in 2003.
“I thought that was the one year we were going to do it,” he said of the agonising elimination from contention for the 2008 Euros at the hands of Italy, having beaten France home and away.
“We had a really good squad and were playing well at the time. We shot ourselves in the foot away to Georgia but we still had it in our hands.”
Oh those accursed Georgians, but there was still that chance when they lined up for their final match at Hampden against the Italians.
“I thought we played really well on the day, apart from the first minute and the last minute when we lost the two goals,” is his memory of the encounter.
“I’ll never forget the look on (Massimo) Ambrosini’s face because we kept going at them and at them. He was looking at me like ‘what the hell is this?’ I had played against him a few times for Man United when he was at AC Milan and I know it was not what he expected.”
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As he suggests that his enforced time out of the game may have the knock on effect of extending his career by a couple of years at the other end, Fletcher’s enthusiasm is that of a man who almost had it all taken away and consequently wants to maximise every remaining opportunity.
“I’m thinking really positively that these games can kick-start us to get ready for the qualifiers. I’m really desperate to play to impress the manager to get in the team for the World Cup campaign,” he said.
As to the suggestion that a longer break might have been in order so soon after such a testing season he was dismissive.
“Not for me. I don’t want a six-week holiday at my age. I want to keep playing,” said Fletcher.
“I’ve had a nice week’s break and now I’m looking forward to the challenge of these two games against top quality sides. I will also get two weeks of good training so from a selfish point of view it’s great.”
His attitude exudes all the qualities that will be necessary to drive this squad to new heights in the campaign which follows these high class friendlies.
“The motivation is still there because people did doubt me and said I wouldn't get back and I've still to prove people wrong in that respect,” Fletcher observed.
“I don't want to not play, stop and hang up my boots just because I am not being picked and I've got to be on the bench and wait while people in my position have played well. I've got to be patient and maybe when I've been given my chance I've not done well enough as well.
READ MORE: Gordon Strachan realistic about Scotland limitations ahead of difficult double-header
“I am quite aware of that and maybe I have to do something extra special to get back in the team and I'm starting to realise that may be the case. Other than that I have been fit and stronger and I feel I have been getting fitter and stronger and the performances have got better so it’s all going in the right direction for me.
“There is one more challenge and that’s getting back in the Scotland side and qualifying for that major tournament.”
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