Key Players Rejoin Scotland Squad for Nations League Fixtures

Scotland’s squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Poland features the return of several established players, notably “big character” John McGinn. Scott McKenna, Jack Hendry, Greg Taylor, Lawrence Shankland, and Tommy Conway are also among those recalled. Ipswich Town goalkeeper Cieran Slicker, who possesses 17 under-21 caps, receives his inaugural senior call-up. Uncapped Rangers midfielder Connor Barron maintains his position in the squad, having been a late addition for the recent 0-0 draw against Portugal. Che Adams has been selected despite sustaining an injury during Torino’s loss to Fiorentina on Sunday, which caused him to leave the field. Manager Steve Clarke stated, “He’ll be scanned and assessed by his club,” and indicated no intention to call up an additional forward should Adams be unavailable. Croatia is scheduled to play at Hampden on November 15, with Scotland’s campaign concluding in Warsaw three days subsequent to that date. Scotland currently occupies the bottom position in Group A1, having secured one point from four matches. This places them three points adrift of Poland, who defeated Scotland 3-2 in Glasgow during the initial round of fixtures. Last month, Croatia secured a 2-1 victory over Scotland in Zagreb. McGinn was among several players absent from the October double-header. However, the Aston Villa captain has since started his club’s last four matches following recovery from a hamstring issue. The 30-year-old midfielder has accumulated 18 goals across 71 appearances for Scotland. Clarke commented, “He’s obviously a big character in the camp and a big player on the pitch as well, so it’s nice to have John back.” He further added, “Over the four games we’ve played, the performances have been pretty good. We haven’t had the points reward we wanted and hopefully this month we can add a few more.” James Forrest is omitted from the squad, as are Liam Lindsay, Andy Irving, Jon McCracken, and Jack MacKenzie, the latter having received a late call-up for the October fixtures. Kieran Tierney, Aaron Hickey, Angus Gunn, and Kevin Nisbet are presently sidelined due to injuries. Lewis Ferguson is not included, having recently rejoined the Bologna first team following a six-month absence. Nathan Patterson is also not selected; he has returned to the Everton squad but has not yet played this season. Clarke explained, “When you look at the long-term injuries, it’s better that they get minutes with their clubs to build up robustness.” Slicker, aged 22, has made only two appearances for Ipswich, both in last season’s League Cup. Clarke stated, “It’s a chance to see him up close and personal in the camp.” He added, “I’ve been rotating the goalkeepers around the squad a little bit so we can see different people. Cieran is now out of the under-21 group, so it’s a chance for me and my coaches to have a look.” Clarke emphasized, “I think it’s important for everybody to recognise that there’s a pathway from the under-21s into the senior squad. I’ve always tried to show that you can do that, and he’s another one on the list, along with Connor Barron, Ben Doak and Tommy Conway. We need to look out for the next generation as well.”