Craig Levein hopes Fletcher will return in qualifying

Scotland manager Craig Levein has confirmed that he is still hoping Darren Fletcher will return for the start of the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Fletcher announced last month that he would be taking an extended break from football in an attempt to recover from ulcerative collitis.

Scotland will begin their bid to qualify for the World Cup with matches against Serbia and then Macedonia in September, a double header that Levein is hoping his captain will be available for.

Levein said: "He's out for four months' complete rest, and then we can reassess things.

"I'd be desperately hoping [to have him for the qualifiers]."

The Manchester United midfielder is believed to have suffered from the condition for nearly four years but he has chosen to take a rest from football after taking advice from doctors.