Scotland delighted to miss Trinidad's next games.
South Wales Evening Post.
Jason Scotland admits he is delighted to be out of the latest Trinidad & Tobago squad after claiming he has been treated ridiculously when on international duty. Scotland has 32 caps for his country and went to the World Cup with the Soca Warriors in 2006.
But it appears the 29-year-old's T&T career could be coming to an end after a wasted trip home earlier this month. Scotland was forced to travel to the Caribbean and then America despite telling coach Francisco Maturana that he did not feel fit enough to be there.The Swansea City star was then riled when Maturana left him on the bench for both World Cup qualifying games.
"I was disappointed to travel and then not play any part," Scotland says.
"I told the manager that I had just had an operation and he said he didn't know anything about it, which I thought was quite amazing.
"I told him I would have preferred to stay in Swansea, train hard and get some fitness back because of the operation, but he said he'd seen I was playing for my club side so he called me up.
"It's something you can't get your head around really."
Scotland made the long trek home having only just got back up and running at the Liberty Stadium following a summer operation on his stomach.
"I thought they knew I'd just come back from injury and that they wouldn't bring me into the squad for no reason," he adds.
"I thought I was going to be involved and was disappointed when I wasn't.
"I told the manager that and I told my manager here too.
"I'd played a couple of games for Swansea but I still wasn't match fit before the international break, and the trip certainly didn't help me."
Roberto Martinez blamed Scotland's wasted voyage for a couple of leggy displays against Crystal Palace and Derby County. The Swansea boss talked of T&T's "low-intensity training" and hinted that Scotland, as well as Liberty colleague Dennis Lawrence, could call time on his international career.
"I'm not going to say I've retired," says Scotland.
"It's difficult. I've been around the Trinidad & Tobago set-up for a while and you just never know what's going to happen with football back home.
"If they call me up again, I will probably have a word with the manager when the time comes.
"It makes no sense for me to travel nine hours from London and not play.
"I would be better off staying in Swansea and getting some work done.
"At the moment, I'd say there's a big question mark over my international future."
That was reflected when Maturana named his squad for next month's return matches against Guatemala and the USA this week.
Though T&T are hardly awash with quality players — and star striker Kenwyne Jones is injured — Scotland was not included in a 22-man party.
"It's strange," he goes on.
"The manager dropped Dennis for the last game because, he said, Dennis wasn't playing for his club.
"But there are other players in the squad who don't even have a club, they are unattached. It doesn't make sense.
"I'm not in the squad for the next two games and I'm delighted about that.
"The last couple of years the treatment I've had from Trinidad & Tobago has been quite ridiculous.
"I'm delighted I'm not involved because it means I can concentrate on club football and trying to score some goals."
Scotland has just one strike to his name so far this season, the winner at Plymouth last month. And, after 29 goals last term, he admits the step up to Championship football has not gone unnoticed.
"At times I am more isolated than last year," he says.
"No disrespect to League One players, but I'm up against some better defenders now. The majority of players you come up against in the Championship have played at the highest level.
"They are quicker and fitter and they know how to mark, so when you're playing as a lone striker it's tougher to outfox two defenders."
It shows. Scotland has had few opportunities to display his finishing ability in a Swansea side who need to score more goals.
"I haven't had that many chances and I don't think I will get that many," he admits.
"That means the chances I do get I have to take.
"You have to take the half-chances in the Championship because you're not going to get as many as you do in League One."
Given that the home side have won four out of four on their own patch this term, Reading tomorrow is likely to prove Scotland's point. Swansea, you fancy, will need to seize what opportunities come their way if they are to trouble the Royals.
Scotland, who looked close to best in the win over Cardiff, proved last season that he is the club's best seizer of opportunities. This weekend would be a good time to remind everyone of that.
