Birmingham midfielder Barry Ferguson has hinted he could come out of international retirement.
The 32-year-old has not played for Scotland since being banned by the Scottish Football Association in April 2009 for his part in a late-night drinking session before the game against Iceland, in which he then made obscene gestures while being sat on the substitute’s bench.
Manager Craig Levein reached out to Ferguson after replacing George Burley only for the former Rangers and Blackburn man to reject his approach, insisting he wanted to spend more time with his family.
But he has now told BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound: “You can never say never in football. I don’t have a fear of going out and being booed.
“It was the way it ended; I thought it was childish, to be told you will not represent your country again by fax.
“I held my hands up. I was stupid. People can go and say I was having a go at the fans. That was nonsense. I made a stupid decision in the game, doing what I did in front of the media. I let my family and the nation down.
“I would have accepted the decision if someone had picked up the phone and said ‘you are finished with Scotland because of your antics at the game’.
“But to captain Scotland is the pinnacle of your career, is it not?”
And Ferguson, who needs five more caps to enter Scottish football’s Hall of Fame, added:
“Craig (Levein) knows that I will speak to him. His words were, ‘the door will never be shut’.
“The time I spent with him down at the Birmingham training ground for two hours, I got a great feeling off him. It never leave you – you always want to represent your country.
“Watching the games, you want to be out there helping Scotland get to a major European finals. It does hurt not being part of it.”