Weir wants to help Scots end ten-year hiatus

ON THE day Steven Pressley overtakes Bobby Walker to become the most-capped Hearts player, his former partner at Tynecastle will become a member of the Scottish Football Association's Hall of Fame.

David Weir will make his 50th appearance in a Scotland shirt when he captains the team in the Euro 2008 qualifier here in Kaunas, a distinction rare enough to make him only the 25th player to have achieved it.

The 36-year-old Everton defender earned nine of his caps as a Hearts player and the renewal of his working relationship with Pressley since Walter Smith persuaded him to return to international football last year - he had quit after the debacle of the Scots' 2-2 draw in the Faroe Islands in 2002 - has made them a regular unit at the heart of the defence.

Clearly approaching the closing stages of his playing career, Weir nevertheless revealed his ambition yesterday still to be around and in contention for selection should the national team defy the odds and reach the European finals in Austria and Switzerland.

Weir is driven by the recollection of his participation of the last occasion on which Scotland reached the climactic stages of a major championship, at the World Cup in France in 1998. As a squad player rather than an automatic choice under Craig Brown, Weir did play long enough to supply Craig Burley with the service that allowed the midfielder to score against Norway, the only goal the Scots contrived from outfield play. The other was John Collins' penalty kick against Brazil.

"If we get to these European finals, and admittedly it's a big if, it will be ten years since we took part in a championship finals, and that's too long," said Weir. "I had a taste of those occasions at France 98 and I would like some more.

"And I feel I can play on for a while yet. Although I have my B coaching licence, I'd like to think I'm a long way from management yet. Walter Smith has a lot of qualities I would like to see in myself, but I hope to play on for some time."

Weir's gratitude to the present Scotland manager is understandable, considering the momentous experiences and decisions with which he has been associated in the player's career.

The former Rangers manager was in charge of Everton when he took Weir from Hearts to the Premiership. He also sweet-talked him into changing his mind about playing for Scotland following the disillusionment that caused Weir to retire during the management of Berti Vogts.

Now, in the absence of the injured Rangers midfielder, Barry Ferguson, Smith has made him captain of the national team.

"Of course, it's a great honour to captain your country," said Weir. "I take it and the responsibility very seriously. I know that Barry will be back and I hope soon, but I am very happy to stand in.

"I've had some disappointments, but also some great individual results with Scotland, and I hope there are more to come. Matches such as beating Holland and drawing with Germany and Italy and, earlier, beating England at Wembley, all great experiences.

"When you go as long as we have without making the finals of a championship, though, you realise how much you miss it. Looking at the group we are in, qualifying would be Scotland's best-ever achievement, I'm convinced of that.

"Scotland have had some great individual players in the past, but if you look through this present squad, you'll see there is strength in depth. That helps generate a great atmosphere within the group, which Walter has done much to foster.

"The objective every time you take the field is to win the match, but against Lithuania here, we'll have to be sensible about how we go about it. I don't think we can go straight at them, as we did against the Faroes on Saturday. We've adopted this style in previous away games and it's served us well.

"As for my 50th cap and going into the Hall of Fame, well, there's some very distinguished company there. Truly great players like Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness are in there. But I would like to think it won't stop at 50. I'd like to add a few more."

Taken from the Scotsman