FULHAM midfielder Tom Cairney is in line for a maiden Scotland call-up for the forthcoming double-header against Canada and Slovenia. Manager Gordon Strachan has watched the Championship side regularly of late and has been impressed with Cairney’s versatility and his consistency. The 26-year-old, who has six under-21 caps but has never been selected for the full squad, joined Fulham in 2015 having previously been on the books of Hull City and Blackburn Rovers.
Strachan said: “I’ve seen Fulham so many times I feel part of their back-up squad now. Cairney played for them for about a year when he first joined on the right side of a four in midfield, doing what Matt Ritchie and Robert Snodgrass do.
“My opinion at that time was that Ritchie and Snodgrass were the best at doing that thing - right side, left foot. James Forrest can do his other bit. But Tom has now moved to a three in midfield. So it’s a different person. As a matter of fact, I also saw him playing just off a striker at Wolves recently. Then he went back to his normal position in the second half and he was terrific.
“They’ve found a position for Tom that suits him just now but before the England game he was playing in the Snodgrass/Ritchie area and I do believe they’re real top players. But he definitely has a shot now. I’ve seen him play in some great games recently.”
Strachan, who turns 60 this week, admitted he has been heartened by the performances of many of his squad since that heavy loss to England in November, including the return of Hibernian’s John McGinn from injury.
“It’s been a long time since the England game and it’s amazing how many people have changed. I call it leaving footprints. We’ve got two games against Canada and Slovenia so we’ll have a big squad initially and then cut it down a bit after the first game.
“I saw John recently. He’s what I call a radiator. He walks in the room and the place radiates. There’s more to him. He’ll be a right good player.”
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