Steve Clarke, the Scotland national team manager, is thrilled to announce the return of the “durable” goalkeeper Craig Gordon to the squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Portugal. Gordon, aged 41, seemed to have ended his international career after being left out of the Euro 2024 squad earlier this year, with three other goalkeepers selected instead.
Despite the setback, Clarke allowed Gordon to make a farewell appearance in a friendly against Finland before reclaiming the number one spot at his club, Hearts. With other goalkeepers facing limited game time at their clubs, Gordon has now earned a recall to the national team. Clarke commended Gordon’s resilience and professionalism, stating that he is looking forward to having him back in the squad.
In addition to Gordon’s return, Clarke has included three new faces in the squad: Andy Irving from West Ham, Liam Lindsay from Preston, and Nicky Devlin from Aberdeen. Irving, who made headlines with his overseas moves before joining West Ham, caught Clarke’s attention during his time at Hearts and will now get an opportunity to impress on the international stage.
The squad has seen several defensive injuries, leading to opportunities for Lindsay and Devlin to make their Scotland debuts. Clarke highlighted the challenging situation with injuries but expressed optimism about the new players stepping up and making their mark for the national team. The squad will also be without key players like John McGinn and Tommy Conway due to injuries.
Furthermore, some younger players have been omitted from the squad to join the Under-21 team for crucial matches, showing Clarke’s commitment to developing talent across different age groups. As preparations continue for the upcoming matches, Clarke remains hopeful that the injured players will recover soon, providing more depth and options for the national team’s campaign.