CRAIG MY NO.1 CONCERN

CRAIG GORDON has been through troubled times at Hearts recently but Scotland boss Alex McLeish is confident he will still produce quality performances for his country.

Tynecastle chief Vladimir Romanov tried to sell the £4million-rated keeper to a number of top clubs in Russia last week.

However, the Scotland No.1 told his employers point blank he wasn't interested.

McLeish now hopes Gordon - who was on the bench in yesterday's cup tie at Dunfermline - won't be frozen out at Hearts and is sure he can continue to be a safe pair of hands for Scotland. Eck said: "It's a massive plus to have someone like Craig as the national keeper. Things have been going on with him at Hearts and it would be a worry if I thought he would be affected by it.

"But I've been told by the Hearts and Scotland goalkeeping coach Jim Stewart that Craig is mentally strong.

"We don't want any problems carrying into the national set-up. There's a bit of politics going on and I hope common sense prevails.

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"I'm sure Craig can rise above it and concentrate on playing his football again."

McLeish had the good fortune to play alongside Jim Leighton and Theo Snelders at Aberdeen and managed Stefan Klos and Ronald Waterreus at Ibrox.

He rates Gordon just as highly and can't wait to work with him.

Eck said: "Craig always played well against Rangers and could stop us getting points. I often felt better when his name wasn't on the team sheet."

Taken from the Sunday Mail