Scotland boss George Burley admits he's delighted with the current form of Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher.
The Scotland manager knows that in Fletcher he has a player who could perhaps one day be labelled as world-class but knows he must avoid the temptation to ask him to carry the rest of the team on his slender shoulders.
"Darren is a top player for Scotland, for Manchester United," Burley said. "Sometimes he tries to do too much for Scotland.
"I keep saying to him, "Don't try and be a world-beater on your own, just stick to what you are good at".
"People sometimes look for too much from Darren. But ask his team-mates or managers in football and they'll tell you that you can't get a better team player.
"Darren's a great player in his own right and has matured with age. I just tell him to just go and play.
"He leads by example and has shown that in the last few years for Scotland. He loves playing for Scotland. I thought he was absolutely magnificent against Holland. It was one of the best performances I've ever seen from him."
England have no shortage of high-calibre midfielders of their own - Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Theo Walcott to name a few - but Burley believes that if Fletcher had been born in Darlington rather than Dalkeith he too would be a regular in Fabio Capello's squads.
"I think if you speak to any English pundit they will say Darren is one of the best midfield players in Britain," he added. "There's no doubt about that. If you asked anyone, he'd make the England squad. That's been down to real progress over the last few years and it's a lot to do with his strength of character.
"To have a lad like that available and for him to be captain of this country is great. As a manager it makes you feel good to see him on your side. He'll never give and always work hard and he's got better and better. I've seen improvement in his game in the last year or so.
"Look at Man United on Sunday - he's spraying the ball about, playing one-twos, winning tackles, headers at one end and shooting at the other. He's the all-round package for a midfielder."
