Clarke's Scotland World Cup squad selection questions
The countdown is on as Steve Clarke prepares to name his Scotland squad for the World Cup, and it is safe to say the national team head coach has plenty to weigh up over the coming weeks...Defeat at home to Japan, where the players were booed off, was followed by another 1-0 loss against the Ivory Coast at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Next, Clarke will name a 55-man pool before finalising his 26-man squad by the end of May, as Scotland return to the biggest stage in football for the first time since 1998.
Scotland's World Cup Group C games
Haiti vs Scotland - June 14, Boston, 2am (UK time)
Scotland vs Morocco - June 19, Boston, 11pm (UK time)
Scotland vs Brazil - June 24, Miami, 11pm (UK time)
There is a core group you'd expect to be guaranteed a spot, barring injury, but there are also a number on the cusp and by Clarke's own admission, even room for "an outsider"."Should he stay or should he go" was the phrase used by the head coach when addressing his own future - and it is even more apt as we take a look at who could have a spot on the plane, and who might be left at home...
The goalkeeper conundrum
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Angus Gunn (L) and Craig Gordon have been Clarke's main goalkeepers
Who to pick as his number one is not a new dilemma for Clarke.
Injuries and a lack of game time at club level have meant that, since the Euros, six players have been thrown the gloves - and the top two on that list are currently not playing for their clubs.
Scotland appearances since Euro 2024
Angus Gunn - 8
Craig Gordon - 8
Liam Kelly - 1
Scott Bain - 1
Ross Doohan - 1
Cieran Slicker - 1
Angus Gunn started all three group games at Euro 2024, and was again between the sticks at the start of the Nations League campaign that followed. An injury saw him drop out of the starting XI, but he returned for the start of the World Cup qualifiers. However, there was another injury that meant he didn't end that campaign either.While it might seem he is number one, after also featuring against Japan, he is not playing for his club. This season, he has seen just 45 minutes of action at Nottingham Forest.
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Angus Gunn started Scotland's Nations League and World Cup qualification campaigns before injury
The problem for Clarke is that the man he has turned to more often than not in Gunn's absence has also struggled for game time at his own club.Craig Gordon, 43, stepped in for Gunn in the Nations League and during the World Cup qualifiers - but missed the latest camp due to an injury. Shoulder issues and the impressive form of Hearts' No 1 Alexander Schwolow have limited Gordon to just three league appearances.
Scott Bain, who left Celtic for Falkirk last summer to increase his playing time, is the only option featuring regularly for his club.He's missed just one league game all season, and having been named in recent squads, he made his first Scotland appearance in seven years, against the Ivory Coast.The 34-year-old was a second-half substitute, replacing Rangers' Liam Kelly who has also been in the group of late, but is playing second fiddle to Jack Butland at Ibrox.
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Scott Bain (L) and Liam Kelly (R) both featured against the Ivory Coast
Meanwhile, the likes of Cieran Slicker and Ross Doohan - who featured in friendlies last summer - are unlikely to be recalled.Defensive dilemmas?
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Andy Robertson is all but certain to captain Scotland on their World Cup return
Captain Andy Robertson, Celtic duo Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston, John Souttar of Rangers, plus centre-backs Scott McKenna and Jack Hendry were in every World Cup qualifying squad, so you'd expect them to be on the plane to the USA.Brentford's Aaron Hickey was too, and should he fully recover from the injury that saw him miss the March camp, he'll need to dig out his passport too.The same should apply to Hibernian's Grant Hanley. The 34-year-old was in every squad for the World Cup qualifiers, plus the March games. Despite not featuring in the latter, during a campaign that has seen him last play at club level in February due to injury, he brings experience that Clarke will want in the USA.
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Scotland regular Grant Hanley has had limited game time at Hibs recently due to an injury
The likes of Everton's Nathan Patterson, plus Bristol City's Ross McCrorie, Dom Hyam of Wrexham all featured in those warm-up games, and will be in Clarke's thoughts.However, what about those who didn't make the latest camp? Sassuolo's Josh Doig and Max Johnston of Derby County were in recent squads and could look to force their way into the equation.
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Could Steve Clarke recall Max Johnston to the Scotland squad?
While Hearts could be represented at both ends of the pitch come the summer, fans of the Scottish Premiership leaders will feel the likes of Craig Halkett, Stuart Findlay and Harry Milne should reinforce the defensive line too - only time will tell if Clarke agrees.Midfield consistency
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Scott McTominay's incredible bicycle kick against Denmark sent Scotland on their way to victory and a spot at the World Cup
The strongest part of the Scotland team, on paper at least, is the midfield.Ballon d'Or-nominated Scott McTominay elevated his icon status even further with the outrageous overhead kick opener against Denmark and will be certain to be on the plane to North America this summer.John McGinn is another talismanic figure, with the Aston Villa captain crucial to Scottish hopes this summer.In fact, if fit, the eight players who were in every squad for the qualifiers should make the final cut. That list includes Billy Gilmour, Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Ben Gannon-Doak and Kenny McLean - yes, the one who scored from the halfway line.
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Kenny McLean's goal from the halfway line will be a moment the Tartan Army will never forget
Gannon-Doak is the only player from that list who didn't feature in the Japan and Ivory Coast squad as he works his way back from an injury picked up in the win over Denmark last November.He missed Euro 2024 due to an injury too, so Clarke will hope the youngster is fit and ready to make his mark in the USA.
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Ben Gannon-Doak was left out of Steve Clarke's March squad as he works to build up fitness following a long-term injury
While he offers pace in the wide areas that no other Scotland player can, Clarke believes 19-year-old Findlay Curtis can offer "something similar" to Gannon-Doak.The winger, who is on loan at Kilmarnock from Rangers, was a surprise call-up for these warm-up games. Will he have done enough in this camp to catch Clarke's eye? One way he can ensure he's in the mix is by continuing to impress at club level between now and the end of May.Meanwhile, Andy Irving returned to the fold in March and will be hoping he can force his way in after his move to Czech side Sparta Prague. Hibernian's Josh Mulligan and Connor Barron of Rangers will also be in Clarke's thoughts.Striker surprise?
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Lyndon Dykes (L) and Che Adams have almost 100 Scotland caps between them
The forward area is likely to be Steve Clarke's biggest conundrum.Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes are the two strikers he has relied on most during his time in charge, and are all but guaranteed a place in his World Cup squad.However, their goalscoring ratio is a concern.Dykes missed the Euros with an ankle injury and has managed just one goal in his 14 international appearances since returning to the squad.Adams, meanwhile, has netted in four of his last 27 Scotland matches. However, two of those came during the qualifiers for the World Cup and he is playing regularly for Torino, where he has four Serie A goals this season.If Clarke needs goals, could Lawrence Shankland provide a ready-made answer? The Hearts captain missed the March games due to injury but is back in action at club level as the Jambos bid to win a historic Scottish Premiership title.
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Shankland is fit again and hoping to win the Scottish Premiership title with Hearts before going to the World Cup with Scotland
He scored 11 goals and provided three assists in his 21 games before that hamstring strain but should he rediscover that touch - it will be an easy choice for Clarke.Based on the last four squads, Ipswich's George Hirst is in line to take the fourth spot. The 27-year-old has scored nine times in the Sky Bet Championship this season, featured in every World Cup qualification squad, plus started the final of March's warm-up matches.Tommy Conway - who has eight goals for Middlesbrough this season - feared his chances of making it to North America were over before he was called up to the most recent squad. He started against Japan and came off the bench in the defeat to the Ivory Coast.
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Middlesbrough's Tommy Conway made his first start for Scotland against Japan
Meanwhile, Kieron Bowie has not featured for Scotland since his move from Hibernian to Serie A strugglers Hellas Verona but will hope to impress in Italy and force his way into the mix, as will Oli McBurnie, who has 13 goals for Hull this season but last featured for Scotland in 2021.There's plenty for Clarke to weigh up and some big calls to make.
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Scotland are World Cup-bound. When they're there, the goal isn't just making up the numbers - progression from the group stages at a major finals is the target. Clarke knows he needs to pick the correct group to deliver just that.We'll be coming... with hope and expectation.
