Chris Lakey David Marshall is resigned to a long-distance watching brief this weekend, as Championship football takes a back seat to World Cup dreams. The Canaries stopper was due to be in Macedonia for Scotland's opening Group Nine European qualifying clash tomorrow - with a second away game, in Iceland, next Wednesday.

Chris Lakey

David Marshall is resigned to a long-distance watching brief this weekend, as Championship football takes a back seat to World Cup dreams.

The Canaries stopper was due to be in Macedonia for Scotland's opening Group Nine European qualifying clash tomorrow - with a second away game, in Iceland, next Wednesday.

But a knee injury, believed to have been picked up in training, scuppered his chances, forcing to pull out of the squad on Tuesday - although it isn't expected to keep him out of City's next game, at Plymouth next Saturday.

Marshall hasn't missed a City game since he turned an ill-fated loan into a permanent deal a year ago - 56 consecutive games.

But the hero of City's weekend draw against Birmingham after his last-gasp save to deny ace marksman Kevin Phillips has to be content with a role of third choice when it comes to Scotland duty, behind Sunderland's Craig Gordon and Rangers' Allan McGregor.

And he admits there isn't much he can do about it.

“Allan is playing for Rangers and in some big games, like the Old Firm game at the weekend, so I think it is good competition,” he said. “And Craig has done well - he hasn't even made a mistake for Scotland in the past three or four years so I will just keep playing away down here and all I can hope is that the Scotland manager can come and watch me and I keep performing.”

Marshall hasn't exactly been overworked this season, but had Scotland chief George Burley been at Carrow Road on Saturday he would have seen the 23-year-old at his best.

“I have enjoyed it thoroughly down here it has been a decent start to the season for everybody,” said Marshall.

“The results have not been brilliant but they have been decent and I am just looking forward to getting away, getting the experience and just coming back and performing again.

“It was a hot day and the boys were a bit tired, but we will take the two-week break, get ourselves right and get down to Plymouth, because if we get a win there it sets up us to come back home again for two home games.”

City boss Glenn Roeder believes the addition of goalkeeping coach Tommy Wright has made Marshall a better keeper.

“He has improved so much this year,” said Roeder. “We see it every day in training. I actually know that he does have a voice and he can talk during a game and he can direct his defenders. That's all credit to the new goalkeeping coach in Tommy Wright, who has got him talking - and his kicking has improved immensely.

“He took a cross under huge pressure in the second half that he probably would not have come for last year so his all-round game has improved greatly and that is all credit to him because he is working very hard in training and all credit to his new coach who he is getting on very well with.”

Marshall will be hoping Scotland can make a good start in their bid to reach South Africa in two years time.

“I think four points we'd take, but it is doable to get the six,” he said. “But then again it's possible that you could get one so I think the first game is vital. I think it's like 110 degrees in Macedonia so it's going to be a tough game. We have only the five teams in our group so there are only eight games so to stay undefeated in the first two games is the most important thing.

“We really have to make Hampden a fortress and get a couple of wins away from home.”