Scotland’s national football team manager, Steve Clarke, has declared a 25-man squad. That’s because they’ll play friendly matches against Iceland on June 6, and Liechtenstein on June 9. This roster features seven uncapped players. Clarke continues to bring in new talent, but balances them with a supportive core of confident veterans.
It will be a baptism of fire for many of the team’s defenders. Other key players Josh Doig, Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Max Johnston, Scott McKenna, Nathan Patterson, Anthony Ralston, Andy Robertson, John Souttar, Kieran Tierney. For his two picks, Clarke seems to be maintaining that balance between encouraging new blood while drawing on experienced heads.
Bowie was selected on the back of a blistering campaign for Hibernian, finishing the season with six goals. Lewis Ferguson got the nod after a breakout season with Bologna, who recently won the Coppa Italia.
Clarke Aims for Improvement
Despite Scotland’s record in friendly matches, with just one victory in their last nine outings, Clarke accepts that a winless streak at Hampden Park would be damaging. He’ll hope to do much better than this as the 2021/22 summer fixtures roll in. The manager conveyed optimism over his squad’s collective will and peaceful co-existence as they balance life between training sessions and matches.
The most wonderful thing for me is that everybody’s present and accounted for, so to speak. Clarke stated. It’s important not to discard the ones that have been relatively successful over certainly my six years in charge and make sure that there’s always a little production line of players coming through that we can rely on in the future.
Every player in the squad is willing and able to face Iceland at Hampden. Since the announcement was made on May 19, no withdrawals have been publicly reported.
Talented Goalkeepers and Experienced Midfielders
The goalkeeping department is guarded by Angus Gunn, Robby McCrorie, and Cieran Slicker. Angus Gunn addressed concerns regarding Scotland’s goalkeeping situation, stating, “We have been blessed with top goalkeepers.” His faith in the squad’s versatility speaks to the bottomless well of talent at Clarke’s disposal.
Midfielders Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour have both taken big leaps this season. They each were instrumental in spearheading Napoli’s first Serie A title in 33 years. Their experience at the sharp end of European football has added an extra layer of quality to the Scotland squad. Next to them are Andy Robertson and John McGinn, undoubted stars and linchpins at their club’s table-topping rivalry.
Upcoming Fixtures
Scotland’s next fixtures are key World Cup qualifiers towards the end of the year. After those two friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein, they’ll see Denmark and Belarus come calling – twice – in September and October. Clarke’s side will face Greece too in November as they look to pull off a historic qualification for the men’s groundbreaking World Cup.
Aside from giving Craig Levein’s men a good test, the matches are an opportunity for Scotland to build momentum and improve their performance ahead of the qualifiers. Though Clarke is looking to combine new blood with old, hoping to strengthen a division-winning team. This unique combination will further enhance their competitiveness and raise their game.
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