A team of Scots from the English top flight not so many years ago would have been simple. In fact, with Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen et al you could probably have pretty much filled out a 22-man squad, any one of which would walk into George Burley's team in Prague tomorrow.

Scots are now so few and far between in England that picking a side is difficult. I was tempted to pick James Morrison to shore up the midfield but as he played for West Brom last season and has still to play for Scotland, I had to rule him out.

The team lines up in a fluid 4-3-3 formation (fluid because they'll all have to spend most of the game defending).

'Russell Anderson: Played one game for Sunderland. Gave away a penalty. Three places in and I'm that desperate'


Craig Gordon: Struggled a bit for Sunderland although I think there are some pretty strong arguments in mitigation. Firstly, because of his experience and his service for Scotland we forget how young he is. His tender years couldn't have helped him cope with the second problem, the price tag which, although justified, heaped a whole lot of pressure on him. Thirdly he was keeper for a team that spent a great deal of the season struggling. And finally he admitted himself that he found the difference in quality quite surprising. But he survived, and Sunderland survived. Expect great things in the future.

Alan Hutton: Another big-money buy who has ably acquitted himself since January. His transformation from struggling Ranger to Scotland hero and Spurs star is quite incredible. Truly the stuff that dreams are made of. An inspiration to young boys and Kirk Broadfoots everywhere.

Russell Anderson: Played one game for Sunderland. Gave away a penalty. Three places in and I'm that desperate!

Graham Murty: Can partner Anderson in the middle because he's experienced enough. A veteran now but notched up 28 games for Reading this season, albeit a season that ended in relegation.

Jay McEveley: Derby full-back and another relegated defender. Time is on his side but playing in the Derby defence this season is a bit like admitting you were once a backing singer at a Cliff Richard concert.

Shaun Maloney: A Scot making semi-regular appearances in the right half of the table is a joy to behold. Sometimes flatters to deceive. Six goals is a not-bad return.

Darren Fletcher: Would have been hoping to get on the pitch in Moscow but will content himself with being part of the squad. Captain of this ragbag collection. Question remains if he'll be content to make cameos for United or move on to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Arguably Scotland's key player now and for a long time to come.

Gary Teale: The second player in this 11 to be on loan at Plymouth at the end of the season. Teale did at least manage 22 appearances for Derby before Paul Jewell shipped him out to regain some confidence. If your lack of confidence was noticeable in that Derby team then you really had some problems.

James McFadden: Realistically this team would get humped but McFadden gets the nod in midfield because he can use the ball. Too mercurial? Or a luxury player? The fact remains he doesn't play enough. Now relegated as well. I can see a theme emerging.

Kenny Miller: Has scored 11 goals at club level since leaving Wolves in 2006. A touch that would make an Ajax youth coach contemplate suicide and a profligacy in front of goal are not cancelled out by a willingness to run all day.

Garry O'Connor: 10 goals since leaving Hibs for Moscow. Three of them came for Birmingham this season. The sixth player in this select to be relegated. Not the most technically gifted and Russian sojourn was ill advised given his particular personality. Expect him to leave Birmingham soon.

Have I missed anyone? I really hope I have. This makes grim reading for any Scotland supporter. The depressing thing is not so much that there are so few players or that so many of them got relegated but that so many of our great hopes, players we have raved about, have failed to make any impact of the English league.

Things, surely, can only get better.