Town defender Christophe Berra is hoping his club form will see him recalled to the Scotland squad and add to the 27 senior caps he has already won.

Previously capped at U21 and B international levels, his most recent appearance was in February this year when the 1-0 home win over Estonia marked manager Gordon Strachan’s first game in charge.

Berra, 28, said: “When I was at Wolves I played 16 or 17 games in a row for Scotland but I wasn’t involved in the squads at Wolves for my last two or three months there so I wasn’t being picked for Scotland.

“I was coming to the end of my contract and I told them I didn’t want to stay, that I wanted to move on. I had been there four and a half years. It’s a great club and I had some great experiences, and there are a lot of people there I owe a lot to.

“Sometimes you just need a fresh challenge. I had played regularly for four seasons and I started last season playing regularly. The manager said I was doing well but to not even get involved on the bench was a bit strange.

“But if you’re not playing regularly at club level you don’t deserve to be in the squad. Imagine if I wasn’t playing regularly and starting for Scotland. There would be people who were playing every week saying ‘How come he’s playing?’ That’s the way it works.”

Berra, who has scored two international goals, believes holding down a regular place with Town — he has put together a six-game uninterrupted run — should help to rekindle his international career.

He added: “I’m back playing now and I’m disappointed not to have been involved [with Scotland] because I feel my performances for Ipswich have been good. But it’s down to the manager and all I can do is continue to play well for Ipswich and hope that things go from there.

“I haven’t given up hope of playing again. I was in the team for Gordon Strachan’s first game, which we won. We kept a clean sheet and I did well but then after that I wasn’t playing for Wolves.

“I’ve played six games now for Ipswich but he is sticking with the same squad. I’ve played nearly 30 games for Scotland but while I’m disappointed it’s not my decision.

“I think my performances for Ipswich have been good enough to get me back into the squad but he’s sticking with the team that did well against Macedonia. He’s the manager and what he says goes.”

Berra was watching Sky Sports News on Wednesday when the squad for Scotland’s next clash, a World Cup qualifier against Croatia at Hampden Park on October 15th, was unveiled.

He said: “Usually you find out before in any case, but I wasn’t in and haven’t been in the last few squads. That’s football, but hopefully we’ll get a win at Sheffield Wednesday and I’ll enjoy my few days off with my family.

“I’ve been involved in international football since I was about 20 and this is the first time for a long time when I’ve actually had days off instead of being away in a hotel for 10 days, bored out of my nut and missing my family and friends.

“I don’t know if it’s me personally or if I’ve done anything wrong. Maybe he [Strachan] just wants me to play more games for Ipswich. We’ll just have to give it time and wait and see.

“I haven’t spoken to him. My main priority is to play well, win games for Ipswich, get as high up the table as possible and try to get into the Premier League.”

Photo: Action Images

BuckieBlue added 11:42 - Oct 5 Strachan has an excellent scouting system down south so he'l know how Berra is doing. So if Strachan thinks Berra is good enough a longer run in the side will get him back in.
0

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 14:11 - Oct 5 Good solid defender. Great signing for free.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls