CELTIC star Sead Haksabanovic has been included in Montenegro's squad for a double-header of friendlies...despite Hoops players being unavailable to play for Scotland.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke expressed surprise and disappointment this week with Greg Taylor, David Turnbull, Anthony Ralston and James Forrest all unable to play for Scotland in their friendly in Turkey with Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou explaining he wanted his best squad for their World Cup break trip to Australia.
Postecoglou expressed sympathy with Clarke, but stressed his players will be going Down Under to play in the Sydney Super Cup instead.
Sweden were also unable to call up Hoops defender Carl Starfelt with manager Janne Andersson underlining his frustration at FIFA for not making it compulsory for clubs to release players to countries who are only playing friendlies instead of the Qatar tournament, which starts later this month.
However, the memo appears not to have reached Montenegro with Haksabanovic named by manager Miodrag Radulovic for their double-header with Slovenia and Slovakia in their capital Podgorica and away in Kopar.
And the manager is planning to pick his strongest team.
He said: "We want to use these last two games of the year as important matches for us as we prepare for the Euros qualifiers.
"We are playing two very good opponents and we have named a strong squad.
"Our aim is to repeat the way we played against Romania in the Nations League and play our best team for both games.
"Of course, we may try new ideas, but there is only one new player in the squad and we have an experienced group of players."
Haksabanovic, 23, has 29 caps for his country and has scored just once for Montenegro against Belarus in a friendly three years ago.
