SCOTLAND defender Christophe Berra reckons the presence of 28-year-old skipper Darren Fletcher will not only lift the player, but the entire squad as a whole ahead of next week's friendly against Australia.
The Manchester United midfielder's career was seemingly in the balance when Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson revealed last month that the Scotland captain was yet to return to training following a long-standing chronic bowel complaint.
But national manager Craig Levein confirmed earlier this week that Fletcher was back in training and would link up with the rest of the Scotland squad to continue his steady return to fitness.
"Fletch is a top boy and all the lads like him," said Berra. "He is a great captain and the manager has involved him and I'm sure he will be looking forward to meeting up with the boys and doing some training and looking forward to the game.
"I know he won't be involved but he has probably had a hard time not being able to train and being in Manchester, so getting out of there and being able to train with a different squad will give him a boost and everyone else a boost."
Scotland's last friendly ended in a 5-1 defeat to USA at the end of May but Berra is only focusing on using Wednesday's friendly at Easter Road as preparation for the World Cup qualifying campaign which starts next month with home games against Serbia and Macedonia.
He said: "We will be going out there to impress, put in a good performance and get the win to please the manager and the fans.
"To get together as a squad with the big games coming in a month is a good thing."