McCann out of key game as Scotland's absentee list grows

Scotland were dealt a blow ahead of their Euro 2004 qualifier with Lithuania when it was confirmed that the winger Neil McCann can take no part in the must-win encounter.

Following a morning consultation between medical staff it was decided that the Southampton player's ankle injury, which had undergone a scan at his club, was too severe.

There was a further blow to the manager, Berti Vogts, when Bradford's Andy Gray, who was asked to join the squad as a replacement for the injured striker Paul Dickov, had to decline the offer.

The Bradford striker is ill and a Scottish Football Association spokesman said: "The team doctors thought it would be too much to ask of him to train for such an important match so soon after being ill."

McCann and Gray join Dickov, the captain Paul Lambert, the striker Stevie Thompson and the suspended Maurice Ross on the absentee list ahead of a fixture the Scots must win to have any chance of reaching the play-offs.

Only 11 outfield players were able to train on Tuesday morning with Barry Ferguson and Steven Pressley also ill and Paul Devlin, Kevin Harper and Andy Webster nursing injuries. Christian Dailly was also absent as his wife is about to give birth to their fourth child. But Vogts had not ruled out any of them and said there was no need to panic.

"We have a very strong team," he said. "We have good players. I feel very confident. We have a lot of other options so it is not a problem. A lot of matches are coming, and a lot of injuries are coming. But we are strong enough. We have a good side."

The injury crisis has hit the right side the hardest with Ross definitely out, and Devlin and the uncapped Harper doubtful. That could open the door for the Manchester United prodigy Darren Fletcher. The 19-year-old has played half an hour for the national team so far, in the 0-0 friendly draw with Norway in Oslo.

Fletcher has already begun to start games for Manchester United, occupying the wide right position made available by David Beckham's move to Real Madrid and an injury to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The teenager has started ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the last two League games and Vogts said: "It is good experience for him to sit in the dressing-room with big stars. He will be thinking, 'now I am going to stay in this position'."

A raid on Rainer Bonhof's Under-21 squad, who also have a must-win match at home to Lithuania, at Perth on Friday, is a possibility for Vogts.

Kevin Kyle is suspended so Shaun Maloney, who scored the winner for the Under-21s in Germany last month, could be elevated. Vogts is set to name Robert Douglas as his goalkeeper even though Magnus Hedman has ousted him as the No 1 at Celtic.