Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has recalled goalkeeper Craig Gordon to his squad for October’s World Cup qualifiers.
The 42-year-old – who last featured for Scotland in the Nations League play-off defeat to Greece – replaces his Hearts team-mate Zander Clark.
Both players have struggled for minutes this season. Gordon has recently recovered from a neck injury, meaning he has not played for the Scottish Premiership leaders since May 3, while Clark has not featured since August.
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Clarke’s other goalkeeping options are also short of game time at club level. Angus Gunn – who kept back-to-back clean sheets in Scotland’s opening two games – has not featured for Nottingham Forest this season. Meanwhile, Rangers’ Liam Kelly has only played in one League Cup fixture.
Angus Gunn (L) is currently Scotland No. 1 but now faces competition from the likes of Craig Gordon who last played for Hearts in May
“I’ve spoken to the people I need to speak to about Craig, they’re telling me he’s fully fit,” said head coach Clarke. “He’s the most experienced in terms of caps that I’ve got, so it just felt like the right thing to bring him back to the squad.
“It’s obviously very important that you trust your players and it’s important that the players trust me. I think I’ve got a good relationship with all my players, but Craig in particular.
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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke on his squad selection for the World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Belarus at Hampden Park
“I think with the goalkeepers it [their lack of game time] is probably still a bit of an issue, but it’s less than three weeks since the last camp, so not such a big issue in the September, October, November camps.
“The issue comes between November and March. Obviously, in that time there is a transfer window and you never know what’s going to happen.”
Consistency the key for Clarke
Clarke described his selection as “relatively straightforward”, with Celtic duo Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston included again – despite both dropping out ahead of the opening matches against Denmark and Belarus.
However, fellow defenders Dominic Hyam and Max Johnston do not feature in a smaller 23-player squad for the games against Greece and Belarus at Hampden Park.
Celtic full-backs Kieran Tierney (L) and Anthony Ralston both withdrew from the last camp due to injury
“[There were] two away games last time, so I felt it was better to take a slightly larger squad away,” Clarke added. “Because if you need to call players up to your squad when you’ve travelled away, it’s a little bit more difficult. Two home games this time, it’s easy to call boys up as and when required.”
It is a story of consistency for Clarke, who has picked the same midfield options that include the likes of Ben Gannon Doak, Serie A quartet Lewis Ferguson, Billy Gilmour, Scott McTominay and Lennon Miller, plus Aston Villa’s John McGinn, who is just one appearance away from earning his 80th cap.
Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay have impressed together at Napoli
While Gordon returns, his Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland misses out – despite scoring three goals in his last two appearances – with the same four strikers selected from the previous camp.
Clarke said Shankland was “close” to a call-up, whilst adding that he was also pleased for Oliver Burke who became the first Scottish player to score a hat-trick in the Bundesliga earlier this month.
“I think about all these players,” Clarke said. “People seem to think that because I tend to pick the same players more often than not, I don’t look outside, I don’t look at other options.
“I’m always looking at other options, because you never know when you’re going to get injuries, suspensions, and when you’re going to have to call people into your squad.”
Scotland squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers).
Defenders: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Etiffaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Lennon Miller (Udinese).
Forwards: Che Adams (Torino), Kieron Bowie (Hibernian), Lyndon Dykes (Birmingham), George Hirst (Ipswich).
How the campaign started
Che Adams scored as Scotland beat Belarus
Scotland picked up four points from their opening two qualifiers ahead of this Hampden Park double-header, as Clarke bids to guide the men’s side to their first World Cup since 1998.
The campaign started with a draw away to top-seeds Denmark, followed by a 2-0 win away to Belarus – results that leave Scotland level on points with the Danes at the top of Group C.
It is certainly a sprint to the 2026 World Cup – with this squad being named just 22 days after Scotland’s last match. The game against Greece is just nine days away, with the Belarus game at Hampden Park three days later and the final group fixtures in mid-November.
Scotland’s World Cup qualifiers
- Greece (H) – October 9
- Belarus (H) – October 12
- Greece (A) – November 15
- Denmark (H) – November 18