FADDY CAN SCORE MORE THAN DENIS AND KENNY

GARY NAYSMITH has tipped Everton teammate James McFadden to shatter Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish's record Scotland goals haul.

McFadden took his tally to 10 in 28 games against the Faroes on Saturday, a superb record when you consider he has often been used as a sub and that most of his caps were earned during the disastrous Berti Vogts era.

Law and Dalglish share the record of 30 goals and, still aged only 23, the former frontman has time on his side to better that.

When McFadden first burst on to the international scene, Naysmith saw a hugely-talented boy who had all the potential in the world.

But he also saw a player for whom beating three opponents was never enough and who didn't seem to know how to play a simple pass.

Parkhead man of the match McFadden still has times when he over-indulges himself but they now happen less frequently.

His superb left-foot goal against the Faroes was as good as you will see during this international week.

And he could have added more to his account had Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller not taken Scotland's penalties.

Naysmith said: "Faddy has 10 goals now and if he had been allowed to take the penalties he would have been on 12 with just 28 caps. That's impressive, especially when you bear in mind he has played in a team that has struggled for most of the time he has been around.

"Can he get to the record? If he avoids serious injury I don't see why not.

"As long as Faddy is playing for his club he'll get picked for Scotland because, although there are a lot of good young players coming through, there is nob ody in the squad with his natural ability to go past players and that's something he won't lose.

"Faddy has worked hard and has learned when to play a pass. When he first came into the Scotland team he was always trying to take on players and now he knows when to lay the ball off.

"You can rely on him for Scotland and Everton. When you see him in training every day, you see he is a top-class player.

"Every time I speak to the Press, I tell them about Faddy's ability. This pre-season he looked better than ever and he changed our Premiership game against Blackburn when he came on.

"Faddy is as sharp as any striker we have at Everton. He sorted out his contract which has lifted a weight from him and the way he played on Saturday is just how he has played for Everton.

"Off the park he has settled down and is getting married. He and his missus have just had a baby as well and that all helps.

"You could he was enjoying himself against the Faroes because he was like a wee boy out in a public park."

It was the same for all the Scotland players, such was the ease of their win over a dismal Faroes side.

Naysmith said: "We were set up to attack them with three up front and three attacking midfielders as well. Paul Hartley played a deeper role but still started off most of our moves.

"Those were the tactics - get the ball to Paul, switch the play and take the game to them.

"That's how we should be playing against these sort of teams. There was a firm belief that as long as we started the game in the right way we would go on to win and that's what happened."

Naysmith has been a great servant to his country in his years with the national team.

He's good going forward, never stops running, can spot a pass and, for a smaller player, sure knows how to win a tackle.

The left-back has had injury problems of late but is 100 per cent fit again and an automatic pick. Naysmith said: "I felt I was back after the Kirin Cup.

"When you meet back up with the boys they make you feel part of it again. I know Bulgaria weren't at full strength out there but to beat them 5-1 was great and we also drew with Japan as they prepared for the World Cup.

"I know there will be some who would have hoped we'd score another five in the second half against the Faroes but it doesn't work that way.

"After the break they dropped even deeper which made it hard for us and we ended up trying one or two things we hadn't been doing in the first half.

"We were trying to do something special when a simple pass would have done."

Those few small gripes aside, it was an impressive Scotland performance.

But the squad will leave for Lithuania tomorrow to face a team who pulled off a fantastic result against world champions Italy on Saturday night.

Naysmith insisted that no matter how difficult this game will be, it is one the Scots have to win to give themselves a chance of qualifying from the most difficult of groups.

Naysmith said: "We know we have to beat the likes of Lithuania.

"You could split the group into two sections with France, Ukraine and Italy in one and the rest of us in another.

"Against those other teams we need to take the majority of points available to us.

"In the past, we would have said a draw would be a good result - and it would be okay on Wednesday - but we have to go for the win."

Taken from the Daily Record