The national team is about to enter the busiest spell in its history with four, and hopefully five, massive games in less than a fortnight.
Our World Cup fate will be determined first, then however that has gone, Scotland embark on a vital Nations League triple-header, which could be crucial to our hopes of making it to Euro 2024.
There were no major surprises in the enlarged 28 man squad announced by Steve Clarke, but there was one glaring absentee in Kieran Tierney. Not only does the Arsenal man offer quality from a defensive point of view, he is also a major attacking threat in the system Clarke favours; none of the potential replacements can match what he brings to the side.
There will inevitably be changes to the team as Scotland negotiate their way through the matches, but the manager will put his top line-up out against Ukraine, and the big question will be who plays on the left of the back three.
I would assume it is between Liam Cooper and Scott McKenna, with Souttar and Hanley filling the other places in front of Craig Gordon.
If fit, Nathan Patterson will be on the right – Stephen O’Donnell will step in otherwise – with captain Andy Robertson in his usual berth on the left.
Callum McGregor is a certain starter for the play-off semi-final, and given how he finished the campaign, Ryan Jack would be the obvious choice, ahead of Billy Gilmour, alongside the Celtic skipper.
John McGinn is the first pick in every game these days and he will obviously start, but who else offers the back-up to the main striker is open to debate. Clarke has a fair bit of quality in that department, but given the season he has had, I would go for Ryan Christie.
As is often the case, the question of who leads the line presents the biggest headache.
Che Adams hasn’t scored in his last 13 games for Southampton, and Lyndon Dykes has the same record with QPR. Jacob Brown had a decent season at Stoke – 14 goals all told – with three coming in the last few weeks, but Ross Stewart had by far the best campaign, netting 26 in 53games, including the clincher against Wycombe which won promotion back to the Championship for Sunderland.
🏴 Steve Clarke has named his Scotland squad for our upcoming FIFA World Cup Play-off and UEFA Nations League fixtures. pic.twitter.com/9DnIo8LPPo
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) May 23, 2022
He would be my choice, but I feel certain Clarke will opt for the tried and tested, with Adams most likely to get the nod.
If we beat Ukraine, the squad will be off to Cardiff a week tomorrow. If not, the time will be spent preparing for the kick-off to the Nations League group, Armenia home and away, with a trip to Dublin in between.
The importance of the competition cannot be underestimated. We learned that in qualifying for Euro 2020 but blew it last time round in the hysteria which followed the incredible night in Belgrade, taking our eye off the ball, and losing to both Slovakia and Israel when in command of the group.
Scotland are a much-improved team but need to capitalise on every opportunity that presents itself; the Nations League is another route to the Euro Finals, and we will hopefully enter it on a World Cup high.
Championship will be just as tough next season for Caley Jags
The domestic season came to a nerve-jangling end at McDiarmid Park last Monday with St Johnstone belatedly showing their Premiership class to blow Caley Thistle away in the final forty-five minutes of the campaign.
Up until half-time, Inverness looked the better side, and there must have been real anxiety in the home dressing room, but Callum Davidson rallied his team, and scoring immediately after the interval settled them. Billy Dodds had to go for it and Saints picked them off.
It means another season in the Championship for the Caley Jags, and as usual, that promises to be a hotly contested division.
Relegated Dundee will be favourites for the title, but Arbroath, ICT and Partick Thistle will be keen to emulate what they did in 2021-22. Raith Rovers will be under new management in Ian Murray, while Morton, Ayr United and Hamilton will also be eyeing up the play-offs.
With Cove Rangers and Queen’s Park stepping up, and both certain to have strengthened, it looks set to be a sensational season. Can’t wait!
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