THE Scottish Football Association are standing by their assertion that Barry Robson was unfit to play for Scotland against Croatia at Hampden on Wednesday night.
The Celtic midfielder was one of seven withdrawals from the squad for George Burley's first match in charge as national team boss which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Robson was sent home with a knee injury picked up in the early stages of the Hoops' 3-0 Cl
ydesdale Bank Premier League win over Gretna at Almondvale last weekend.
According to one report this morning, the Parkhead club are set to demand an explanation from the SFA for Robson's withdrawal, claiming the former Dundee United player refuted the diagnosis and had wanted to stay in the Scotland camp. However, a spokesman for the SFA said they had not heard from Celtic and backed the stance taken by their medical team of Professor Stewart Hillis and Dr John MacLean.
"We haven't heard from Celtic so there is nothing to respond to," the spokesman said. "All we know is what we have read in the papers. The player was treated by the medical team on Sunday and Monday, didn't respond to treatment, and as is standard practice, was sent back to his club."
The four Rangers players who dropped out of Burley's squad – skipper Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch, Christian Dailly, and Allan McGregor – are all expected to be fit for tomorrow's Old Firm derby at Ibrox, as is Robson.
The full article contains 249 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
