If you are good enough you are old enough.
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan insists age will be no barrier when it comes to picking his team to face Denmark tonight.
The national team manager, pictured below, is working with a new squad for the second friendly of the international break and morale is one the rise following Thursday’s 1-0 win against the Czech Republic in Prague.
Dundee goalkeeper Scott Bain, Celtic full back Kieran Tierney and midfielder John McGinn of Hibernian are in a young squad which also includes Leeds central defender Liam Cooper and midfielders Jamie Murphy of Brighton and Nottingham Forest’s Oliver Burke.
Aberdeen midfielder Kenny McLean impressed on debut in Prague on Thursday and Strachan is hoping for more of the same against the Danes at the national stadium tonight.
He said: “You can only be successful at international level if you’re playing as part of a successful team – then you are ready for international level.
“The squad has evolved. I’ll keep players who are still useful and can help this squad. It doesn’t matter if you’re Gordon Greer at 34 or 35 or Oliver Burke at 18.
“It doesn’t matter to me what age you are, as long as you’re fit and your thought is how to make this Scotland team better.”
Strachan knows he took a gamble in selecting two squads, but believes it is one which has paid off due to the efforts of his players.
He said: “It’s been refreshing because every day has been worthwhile.
“Normally when you play an international, especially away from home, it takes a couple of days for everyone to recover, but we were training again at 3.30pm with this new group the next day.
“It’s been great. There has not been a minute wasted.
“It has also been good for the players because they have only had to be with us for four days so they either come to us refreshed or we send them back with a long time to recover for the next game for their clubs, so that’s been good for them and us.
“The bonus has been the attitude of the players. Those who have come in who we have not seen in a while or not seen at all before have energised the coaching staff.
“Some of them have different assets than the group we had before so we’ll use that and see how it works.”
The Scotland manager will not throw his players in unprepared for the demands of international football.
Strachan said: “When you’re making your debut it’s good to have experienced players around you and that’s what we will do.”
