Fletcher ready for Scotland return

Scotland skipper Darren Fletcher has declared himself fit and ready to feature in both World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Belgium.



The Manchester United midfielder was out of action for almost a year with a chronic bowel complaint.



But, despite what he has gone through with the illness over a number of gruelling months, Fletcher insists he is ready for action if called upon by Craig Levein.



Speaking ahead of Friday night's clash in Cardiff, he said: "I feel ready to play both matches. I feel fit, I feel strong and I feel ready for the games. It's great to be back.



"It's been a while and I'm just desperate for the game to start. Hopefully I'm playing and I can do my part in getting a good result for Scotland."



Fletcher claims he never gave up hope of pulling on the dark blue jersey again.



He added: "Not at all. I always believed I would be back and fortunately I'm here today. It proves that I always had the belief that one day I would be back and helping the lads qualify for a major competition."



Namesake Steven Fletcher has also made a dramatic return to the squad after almost two years after resolving his differences with Levein.



But Darren Fletcher insists any success against Wales will not just be down to their respective comebacks.



He said: "If we beat Wales on Friday it won't just be because me and Steven are named in the team.



"It will need a good team effort. If it can be a boost to the rest of the players that's great. You look for any small margin you can.



"But knowing the players, they will be ready for this game irrespective of whether me and Steven are in the team.



"We'll be looking to win the match and whoever is playing will give their all and hopefully we can get a positive result for Scotland."



Scotland are seeking a win after draws against Serbia and Macedonia at Hampden, while Wales need a positive response following a shock 6-1 thrashing in Serbia.



Fletcher said: "Wales are a team full of players playing in the Premier League in England, with the ability to be a really good side.



"I know they had a difficult result away to Serbia. People see that as them being low in confidence and they might well be but you can also look at it the other way and say there's a real determination about them to prove that they are a good side and I think that's what we will see tomorrow from Wales.



"They will be full of determination to prove that was a fluke result so we've got to be very wary of that.



"I was surprised actually because that's not a true reflection of Wales or Serbia to be perfectly honest.



"Having played against Serbia, we know they are a decent side but I think for Wales to lose 6-1, it wasn't a fair reflection and I'm sure they will be desperate to show that."

Maloney: We need to get better

Shaun Maloney knows Scotland must improve quickly as a team to have any hope of qualifying for the World Cup finals after conceding they now face an uphill battle.



Craig Levein's men have taken just two points from their opening two home games against Serbia and Macedonia, despite hope and expectation of beginning the campaign with a maximum six points.



The Scotland boss claimed after Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Macedonia that there was no need to worry about the situation and that the table does not look damaging, even though his side already trail Serbia, Belgium and Croatia by two points.



Maloney's own assessment of the national team's efforts so far was perhaps more realistic.



Although unwilling to write off hopes of qualification just yet, the Wigan midfielder accepts the Scots must start delivering results or forget about Brazil in 2014.



Maloney said: "The dressing room was pretty disappointed at the end but if we improve, we know we can win games.



"The bottom line is whether or not we improve. We will need to if we are going to have any chance of qualifying.



"I don't think our hopes are at an end just yet. It was obviously not the result we wanted, we've just made it very hard for ourselves now to qualify.



"It's certainly not impossible but it's going to be an uphill task.



"There were a few positives. There were some individual performances that were reasonably good but I think collectively, as a team, we are going to have to improve.



"If we are going to qualify, then we will need to improve as a team."



Looking ahead to next month's double-header away to Wales and Belgium, he added: "Every game is going to be vital now. We are going to need to win away from home.



"The next gathering in three or four weeks' time is going to be vital for us. It's going to be massive, those two games."



Asked if the players still have belief in the manager - whose record is now three wins from 10 competitive outings - Maloney said: "I don't think it's us who needs to have faith in him, he obviously has to have faith in us and pick us.



"When we draw our first two games, there is going to be criticism.



"All the players and staff were in it for the results and when they don't come, we have to take the criticism.



"I can only speak for myself but I'm pretty sure the majority of the team ran as much as possible for the manager.



"We do put our heart and soul into it for him and hopefully we will pick up as a team and the results will come. They need to if we are going to qualify."



The night began with cheers for Andy Murray following his US Open triumph, but quickly turned to jeers as Macedonia took an early lead through Nikolce Noveski.



Kenny Miller hit back just before the interval but the Scots were unable to find a winner and more boos rang around Hampden at the final whistle.



Maloney said: "We could hear it but it's not the end of the world.



"We were 1-0 down at the time so we can't have too many complaints. It's one of the things you need to deal with.



"Come the second half, particularly with the way we started the second half, the crowd got behind us.



"Especially after the weekend and the negative feedback after that game, when the boos came when we were 1-0 down, I don't think we could really argue too much about it."



Asked why it did not happen for Scotland last night, Maloney admitted: "I'm not sure why. In the first half, I'm not sure why we started slowly.



"If we had started the way we started the second half, we would have preferred that. I can't put my finger on why we started slowly.



"I think the positions were all right. I think it's just probably us as players within the team who need to improve.



"I don't think it was anything to do with players being out of position or anything tactical. The players, as a team, probably started slowly, and that was the reason."