Football: MAGIC EYE ON A B CAP FOR FOWLER.

Byline: By Hugh Keevins

ALLAN JOHNSTON wants Scotland boss Walter Smith to push the boat out for his Kilmarnock team-mate James Fowler.

Johnston sees striking similarities between the midfielder and George Boateng, the Dutch international star he played beside at Middlesbrough.

He insists Fowler has been a revelation since Rugby Park boss Jim Jefferies moved him into a central midfield role and he is ready to impress again today against Dunfermline.

And Magic would love to see Fowler's name pulled out of the hat when Scotland boss Smith picks his B team to face Finland at Rugby Park next February.

He said: "James is perfect for the central midfield role. He's got the pace to track back and reads the game well.

"Nothing fazes him because I can remember him playing centre-half for Killie at one time. I'd be surprised if he was moved to any other area of the side now.

"It would be brilliant if he could get his chance to show what he can do at international level next.

"When Gary Locke was forced to sit out matches because of injury it was only natural that a bit of quality was taken away from us but James has filled the void.

"He reminds me so much of George Boateng from our time together in English football and James would be a big loss if we were to be left without him.

"I think the pair of us strike the perfect balance in the middle of the park because he plays the holding role and lets me make the play.

"We dovetail perfectly because James is proof that hard work pays off."

The partnership was an unqualified success as Jefferies' side moved up the league table - until they ran into Rangers at Ibrox last Sunday and fell apart 3-0 after a promising opening.

Former Ibrox signing Johnston couldn't come up with any explanation good enough to cover up for the one-sided nature of that game so owned up to Killie's psychological problem.

He said: "It's a mental thing when we go to Rangers' ground.

We lose a goal then collapse. "Yet the same difficulty doesn't afflict us when we go to Hibs and get a 2-2 draw.

"We also went to Tynecastle and beat Hearts by two clear goals."

The fly in the ointment comes when Dunfermline are brought into the erratic form discussion.

Johnston would never take anything for granted but he is hopeful of making it a day of misery for them and their new boss Stephen Kenny by taking all three points.

And history doesn't favour the Pars at Rugby Park on the basis they haven't beaten Killie there for 14 years.

Celtic are the only side to have beaten Jefferies' side on their own patch this season. But Killie have suffered at the Pars' hands already this season and Johnston doesn't want a repeat.

He said: "We went to East End Park and had the lead twice in that game, only to make mistakes and lose 3-2.

"The trouble is that any team can beat anybody else on their day in the Premier League. That applies to the top six or the other half of the table.

"Our positive results in Edinburgh were against sides who were full of optimism. But we slipped up against a Fife side fighting for their lives."

Dunfermline's move into the world of do or die was underlined last week when they gifted Aberdeen a threegoal victory that left Kenny's side detached at the foot of the table.

The manager will head for Ireland after the game for the Irish Cup Final.

But Johnston would advise him to give Killie his undivided attention because he is giving up on nothing where the remainder of the season is concerned.

Kilmarnock have a CIS Cup semi-final to come against Falkirk next month and they're chasing a European place on the strength of their league position as well.

Johnston said: "There's still all to play for so far as we're concerned. I remember we went from third to eighth in the league table one weekend on the strength of a sequence of results.

"That's why nothing's ever finished in the SPL."

CAPTION(S):

IMPRESSED: Johnston