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FLETCHER: RIORDAN CAN TRIGGER RECALL
Riordan - returned to Hibs.
Steven Fletcher feels the return of Derek Riordan to Hibernian can boost the pair's hopes of returning to the senior Scotland set-up.
Riordan, the 25-year-old forward, headed back to the Edinburgh side on Monday night, ending a frustrating two-year spell at Celtic.
After netting 61 times in three seasons at Hibs before leaving for Parkhead, Riordan's return on a three-year deal has raised spirits at the club following a poor start to the new season.
Fletcher has certainly been lifted by the prospect of linking up again with the marksman, having enjoyed his breakthrough season in 2004-05 in Riordan's company.
Now he feels the duo, who have both earned one full cap, can work in tandem to boost both club and country.
He said: "Deeks (Riordan) is a great player. I said that when he was at the club and when he left it was a big disappointment.
"Now he is back, it'll be good to work with him again.
"If he does what he did when he was at the club before, there is no reason why he can't get into the Scotland set-up again.
"He was brilliant, I learned a lot from him in training and obviously playing alongside him.
"We'd heard about Riordan coming back for a couple of months. It just didn't look like it was going to happen, but I'm delighted it was done."
Fletcher was left out of George Burley's squad for the opening World Cup qualifying double-header in Macedonia and Iceland, linking up with the Under-21s instead as they bid to reach next summer's European Championship finals.
The 21-year-old hopes to prove a point to Burley in tonight's crucial meeting with Slovenia at the Falkirk Stadium.
He added: "I just need to put two good performances in for the under-21s and he'll (Burley) maybe notice it.
"He said he was going to come to the game tonight, so hopefully if I play well, I'll be in his next squad."
Going into the last two qualifiers, Billy Stark's in-form side are second in Group 6, level on points with Tuesday's opponents Denmark and just two behind leaders Finland.
Fletcher, who netted 14 times last term on his way to landing the Scottish Football Writers' Young Player of the Year award, is desperate to end his search for a first goal of the season.
He said: "Hopefully, I can end the drought. It would be a good time to do it - there is a bit of pressure now.
"I think if I went until Christmas without scoring, it would start playing on my mind, but it's only four league games into the season.
"It's not as if I'm not having the chances. They are just not going in just now."
