Hartley blasts his team-mates for pulling out of Scotland friendly international

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Scotland midfielder Paul Hartley has slammed his international team-mates after Steven Fletcher became the sixth player to withdraw from George Burley's squad for the friendly against the Czech Republic on Friday.

The trip to Prague for Burley's second game in charge since taking over from Alex McLeish in January is threatening to become almost pointless after the Hibernian striker pulled out with a chest complaint.

Burley was already without Rangers quartet Allan McGregor, Lee McCulloch, Barry Ferguson and David Weir before his squad was decimated further.

Committed: Paul Hartley is determined to extend his international career.

But Hartley, whose Scotland debut came against Italy in March, 2005 at the age of 28, reiterated his commitment to the national side and is keen to follow players like Weir and Christian Dailly, who have continued their international careers well into their 30s.

The Celtic player said: "It's been a long hard season with the amount of games we have played and you always have aches and pains but you have to push yourself for one more game.

"You are representing your country and that's what you want to do.

"I want to play as long as possible and get as many caps as I can before I stop playing football. So you won't see me pulling out of any squads.

"If I have a serious injury then I won't play but I want to play as many games as I can.

"I would like to play as long (as players like Davie Weir and Christian Dailly) although it just depends on how the legs go and if I stay injury free.

"Midfield is a difficult position but I have been playing the holding midfield role and those types of players tend to play a lot longer

"The manager said that if you are playing well then you will keep the jersey and hopefully that's the way it will be."