BOYDY IS B'S KNEES

KRIS BOYD received some welcome praise from Scotland manager Walter Smith last night - just two days after being dropped again by his club boss.

The Rangers and Scotland striker scored after coming off the bench against Dunfermline on Saturday to help his side to a much-needed win but after the game Gers boss Paul Le Guen preferred to focus on his weak points.

Le Guen's comments surely won't have done much for the 22-year-old's confidence, even if he's a cocky lad by nature.

Smith knows only too well that Boyd is limited in some departments. But the one that really matters, scoring goals, is all that interests the national manager for now.

He said: "It is preferable that a player plays regularly for his club and we have anumber of cases at the moment where that isn't happening.

"It doesn't affect me that much as Kris is still playing for Rangers. If he wasn't playing at all, then it would be a great concern to me.

"Kris is who he is and everyone knows that.We now need to work hard to get the benefit for him and, ultimately, ourselves.

"For any manager or coach, you can't just accept how a player is. You try to improve them and I'm sure Kris accepts that.

"There aren't very many natural goalscorers about and you can even see in training that's what Kris is.

"It was interesting last week when there was a debate over whether he could play as a lone striker. I don't think that matters.

"Kris scored twice for Scotland against Bulgaria in Japan while playing up front on his own so I don't think it matters if he has a partner or not.

"You have to get enough people around him creating opportunities for him. That's the kind of player he is.

"It's up to everybody in the team to make opportunities for him as our central striker and other players as well."

What would you rather have? A striker who does lot of good work outside the box, yet never scores? Or Boyd, who hangs around the box and delivers the goods.

Smith said: "You're looking for a balance. We are not overly endowed with forward players anyway so I wouldn't disregard anyone.

"I definitely wouldn't disregard Kris because I think it's essential we have someone around capable of sticking opportunities away and he's certainly good at that."

Boyd starts tonight's B international against Republic of Ireland in Dublin and could be paired with Aberdeen's Lee Miller up front.

Smith has always liked Miller - even when he was having his troubles at Dundee United - and he's delighted the player looks like he's back to his best.

He said: "Lee's move to Dundee United didn't work but Aberdeen are starting to see the best of him and he's got a goal or two.

"I feel he has something to offer. I've kept him involved in the squad and, hopefully, he will regain the form he showed with Hearts."

A former Tynecastle team-mate of Miller's, Andy Webster, will lead the team out. His troubles have been worse than most and both manager and player are happy he's playing football again with Wigan in the Premiership.

Smith said: "I'm keen to get Andy back into the set-up but I obviously don't need to see him playing games as I know him well.

"But this gives him a chance to get match practice, which he's been short of over the past six months or so. Andy is getting there now. He has taken part in the last four games for Wigan.

"I'm not quite sure about the team yet. We have a squad of 16 and they'll all play. Even if some players only get a half it's important from our point of view that we see them."

Scotland just wouldn't be Scotland without call-offs and Shaun Maloney and Kevin Thomson, two who would have started, won't play.

Smith said: "It's a blow for Shaun and us as well. Last season was his first full season at Celtic and he won player of the year awards. He then got an injury at the start of this season.

"Shaun has only made a couple of appearances at international level so it's disappointing he's injured again as we wanted to see him in this game.

"He is a different kind of player and the object of this kind of game is to give someone like Shaun experience of international football.

"Kevin Thomson is another one we wanted to have a look at. I was looking forward to seeing him play but he's had a flu virus and wasn't well this morning so he won't be playing."

Taken from the Daily Record