Steve Clarke has named his Scotland squad for the crucial UEFA Nations League play-off against Greece, but as always, there are some notable omissions.
Some absences are due to injury, while others may be tactical or form-based decisions.
Scotland visit the Greeks on March 20 before the return leg at Hampden Park three days later as they aim to remain in Section A.
The injury list
Scotland have been dealt a series of injury blows, with key players ruled out for the play-off clashes.
It’s a situation that Clarke even alluded to when explaining why he’s opted to call upon 18-year-olds Lennon Miller and James Wilson for these March internationals.
• Ben Doak – Undoubtedly the biggest loss to the Tartan Army. The exciting Liverpool youngster continues to recover from injury, delaying his continued breakthrough into the senior squad.
“It is frustrating for Ben,” Clarke stated. “But you have to look after young players and you have to realise that this was Ben’s first real season with game after game after game.
“He could be an unknown quantity for Greece when we play them again in the [World Cup] qualifiers. And maybe over the course of the year we can find one or two other unknown quantities."
• Angus Gunn – The Norwich City goalkeeper had been Clarke’s first-choice between the sticks, and his absence is a loss.
Addressing the situation between the sticks, the Scotland head coach said: “Angus Gunn is injured again, he has tweaked his hamstring. He is going to be out for two or three weeks.
“But Liam [Kelly] has had some recent football at Rangers when Jack Butland was out injured and I thought he did very well. So he deserves his place back in the squad.
“I’ve started looking at younger keepers. Cieran [Slicker] came into the squad in November and he trained and worked well. He’s not playing at Ipswich but he’s one I will keep in and around the squad. He’s good around the group.
“If Craig keeps doing what he is doing, he will be in my squads.”
• Nicky Devlin – The Aberdeen defender has impressed this season, but injury has robbed him of another potential international call-up.
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• Aaron Hickey – The versatile Brentford full-back is still sidelined, a significant setback given his importance to Scotland’s defensive setup when fit.
• Ross McCrorie – Having only recently returned from a long-term illness, the Bristol City man is now on the treatment table with a hamstring injury.
• James Forrest – The Celtic winger remains out of action, missing another opportunity to add to his 39 Scotland caps.
• Ryan Gauld – The Vancouver Whitecaps playmaker, often overlooked by Clarke, sees another window pass without a call-up, though injury has played a part this time.
• Lyndon Dykes – The Birmingham City forward has been a key figure for Scotland in recent years, but he is another victim of the injury curse ahead of this tie.
• Lewis Morgan – The New York Red Bulls forward has been sidelined with a knee injury, playing only once since early December. This is another setback for Clarke, considering Morgan’s adaptability in attacking positions and his inclusion at last year’s European Championships.
Those not called up
Alongside injuries, several players have been omitted from Clarke’s squad for tactical or selection reasons.
• Chris Brady – The young American-born goalkeeper, who recently declared for Scotland, is still waiting for his first call-up after gaining widespread praise for his performances with Chicago Fire in MLS.
• Nathan Patterson – The Everton right-back has struggled for game time and form this season, meaning Clarke has opted for other defensive options. He was even recently challenged to "step up" by club manager David Moyes if he wants to remain within the first team plans at Goodison Park.
• Greg Taylor – The Celtic left-back is another surprise omission, with Clarke preferring other full-back choices.
• Stuart Armstrong – A consistent squad member in recent years, but injuries and a lack of regular minutes since November's international fixtures have played a part in his exclusion.
• Dominic Hyam – The Blackburn Rovers centre-back has been overlooked once again, despite a strong club campaign, having played 36 times in the English Championship this season.
• Connor Barron – The Rangers midfielder continues to develop but is still waiting for a breakthrough into the senior setup.
• George Hirst – The Ipswich Town forward has been tracked by the national team, but a hold up in paperwork has meant he will have to wait for a first cap. Although Clarke did hint things could change by the time they travel to Greece next week.
“It’s possible he could still be added to this squad," he said. "There was a delay in the paperwork. There are still club games to go before we meet up as a squad, there is always the chance of someone else getting injured. Hopefully not because we have suffered enough injuries.
“George is someone we have had in mind for a few months. I've watched him recently. He is in and out of the Ipswich team, he has played in the cup games. He scored against Forest and I was spotted on the telly at the game.
• Lawrence Shankland – Perhaps the biggest surprise, given the lack of forward options available. But Clarke has opted for different attacking talent including Shankland's Hearts teammate Wilson and Kevin Nisbet of Aberdeen.
“I could have chosen both [Nisbet and Shankland]. But Kevin has scored a couple of goals recently and sometimes when a striker starts scoring goals it becomes a habit. Hopefully with Kevin that’s the case,” Clarke admitted.
Andy Irving – The former Hearts midfielder has become something of a cult hero at West Ham United in the English Premier League, featuring against the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, but he remains on the outside looking in as he seeks a regular Scotland call-up.
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Here’s the Scotland squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon, Liam Kelly, Cieran Slicker.
Defenders: Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Max Johnston, Scott McKenna, Ryan Porteous, Andy Robertson, Anthony Ralston, John Souttar, Kieran Tierney.
Midfielders: Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Billy Gilmour, Lennon Miller, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Scott McTominay.
Forwards: Che Adams, Tommy Conway, Kevin Nisbet, James Wilson.
As ever, squad selection debates will continue, but Clarke’s decisions will ultimately be judged by Scotland’s performance on the pitch against Greece.
