Wales v Scotland: Kris Commons hopes to play his part in ‘two huge games’

Published on Thursday 11 October 2012 14:32

KRIS Commons is aiming to tranfer his impressive club form for Celtic to the national stage after he was recalled to the Scotland squad.

• Kris Commons keen to help revitalise Scotland’s World Cup campaign

• Scotland play Wales tomorrow and Belgium on Tuesday

The attacking midfielder is now in contention for a starting place in tomorrow night’s crucial fixture against Wales in Cardiff, following the withdrawals of Robert Snodgrass and Jordan Rhodes earlier this week.

Commons was controversially omitted from Craig Levein’s original squad despite a series of impressive performances for the Scottish champions this season, not least in their Champions League games against Benfica and Spartak Moscow.

However, Commons, who last featured for Scotland in the 2-0 defeat to Brazil at the Emirates Stadium in March last year, is desperate to be involved in the crunch Group A match at the Cardiff City Stadium.

“It’s great to be back again,” he told the SFA website.

“I have been keeping an eye on the squad during the time I have been out and the important thing was to keep playing as well as I could and I knew the opportunity would come. I am now just looking to grab it with both hands.

“I am playing with a lot of confidence and that has been reflected in the results we have had at the club, especially in the Champions League.

“Our whole pre-season was set-up to qualify for the Champions League group stages and I think our results and performances so far have given the whole of Scottish football a boost.”

2014 ambitions

The 29-year-old also insisted that the ultimate goal remains playing in the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

“We all want to reach the World Cup finals. It is a huge thing playing against the best players in Europe at club level in the Champions League.

“A lot of the players in the Scotland squad play in England against some of the best players in the world but as a country we all want to compete against the best nations at the World Cup finals, especially this one as it is being played on one of the real homes of football, Brazil.”

Must-win

Commons believes Scotland are more than capable of emerging from the double-header against Wales and Belgium with their qualification prospects enhanced.

“The next two games are really important but it was always going to be a group where countries take points off each other,” he said.

“I hope to be given the opportunity to contribute to two huge games.

“We need to win against Wales first and then we can see about Belgium after that.

“After two draws it is important to get a win and the way the group is set up, that could put us right into contention.”

Taken from the Scotsman