quashie out

[tlg1903]

Scotland's Nigel Quashie has lost his battle to be fit for the upcoming Euro 2008 Group B qualifiers against Georgia and Italy.

 

The West Ham United midfielder suffered an ankle injury in his side's recent game against Tottenham Hotspur.

 

Although the 28-year-old joined the squad on Tuesday he was assessed by the team doctors today and has been allowed to return to Upton Park.

 

Nobody has been brought into the squad as his replacement as yet.

 

Scotland boss Alex McLeish has brought in Everton goalkeeper Ian Turner to the set-up, while Shaun Maloney and Craig Beattie have been brought in to bolster the attack.

 

Hibernian's Scott Brown and Rangers' Chris Burke have also been included.

 

 

Aston Villa's Shaun Maloney has been named in the squad

 

But there is no place for Lokomotiv Moscow striker Garry O'Connor, who recently apologised for his failure to turn up for the squad meeting ahead of the Euro 2008 qualifier in Ukraine.

 

The Scots currently have nine points, with the Italians lying in third place with seven points, while Georgia are second from bottom with three points from four games.

 

And they received a boost in the Fifa world rankings after they climbed four places to 16th - despite not playing since October.

 

 

 

 

Scotland boss Alex McLeish defended his choice of strikers for the double-header in March and said he believed they would provide a goal threat.

 

"We like to think we have the capacity to score in open play and I don't have any worries about Kenny Miller not scoring for Celtic," he said.

 

"I think he's done a fantastic job for Scotland and he's certainly in our thoughts.

 

"Maloney has played the last two games for (for Aston Villa) so he's consistently in the team. We will assess him again this week.

 

"Beattie has had a good month, or certainly last month.

 

"I think probably the biggest concern with him over the last couple of years has been his injuries."

 

McLeish said he hoped players throughout the side could offer a goal threat against Georgia and Italy.

 

 

 

Steven Pressley will miss the Georgia match through suspension but fellow Celtic defender Gary Caldwell is included despite not having yet made a return to first-team action from a four-month lay-off after knee surgery

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cant say im too fussed, he's alright for scotland but not irreplaceable. More importantly he doesnt sing the national anthem which reall gets on my tits