Sheffield United manager Wilder sure Fleck remains in Scottish minds

John Fleck in action for Sheffield United last weekend against Bolton Wanderers (Picture: Simon Bellis/Sportimage).

While team-mates John Egan and Enda Stevens will be involved in the international break with the Republic of Ireland squad, with loanee Ben Woodburn also called up by Wales and Kieron Freeman on standby, Glasgow-born Fleck is yet to gain full international honours at senior level.

The latest snub saw the midfielder miss out in Alex McLeish’s latest squad for games against Belgium and Albania, with the likes of Kevin McDonald, John McGinn and Callum Paterson chosen ahead of him, much to the disappointment of Unitedites.

On another omission for Fleck, 27, whose form has been ultra-consistent since arriving at the club just over two years ago, Wilder said: “John (Egan) will go on and get plenty of caps, Enda deserved his call-up and Kieron is on stand-by.

“The obvious one (Fleck) is not, but if they have got good players to keep him out up the road, fair play.

“But he will be on the radar.”

Blades team-mates could go head-to-head in the international break on September 6 when Ireland take on Wales and Wilder believes that prospect highlights just how far the club have progressed in recent years.

He added: “I will be interested to see them against each other. I do not want to go back all the time and say, ‘look where we were five or six years ago’. But now we have got lads representing their countries.

“It is great recognition for them and great for the club.