MALKY Mackay has named a number of fresh faces in his Scotland squad for tonight's friendly against the Netherlands.
The Scottish FA’s performance director will take charge of the national team on an interim basis at Pittodrie and eight players are aiming to make their Scotland debut.
With several new figures joining up with the Tartan Army squad for the Pittodrie clash, we look at the form that has earned them international recognition.
JORDAN ARCHER
Club: Millwall
Position: Goalkeeper
The 24-year-old earned his first call-up to the Scotland squad back in August, but is yet to make an appearance for the Tartan Army. Despite being born in Walthamstow and spending his entire career in English football, Archer represented the Scots at U19, U20 and U21 levels thanks to qualifying through a Glaswegian mother and Scottish grandparents.
Starting his career at Tottenham Hotspur, the keeper had loan spells at Harrow Borough, Bishop’s Stortford, Wycombe Wanderers, Northampton Town and Millwall before making his move to the Lions permanent in 2015. He has kept six clean sheets in 16 Championship appearances this season after spending the last two campaigns as the undisputed number one at the Den.
LIAM COOPER
Club: Leeds United
Position: Centre-back
Another who has previously been called into the squad without making an appearance, Leeds stopper Liam Cooper also qualifies for national duty through the grandparent rule.
The 26-year-old joined Leeds from Chesterfield in 2014 and now captains the Elland Road side. He has 12 Championship appearances and one assist to his name so far this season and will be hoping to finally pull on a dark blue shirt after first being drafted into the Scotland squad in March 2016 for a friendly against Denmark.
PAUL HANLON
Club: Hibernian
Position: Centre-back
The Edinburgh-born defender has earned a surprise call after playing a key role for Neil Lennon’s Hibernian since their return to the top-flight.
The 27-year-old has scored once in 13 Ladbrokes Premiership games this term and has worked his way through the ranks, having represented his country at U19 and U21 levels. Aside from a brief month-long loan at St Johnstone in 2008, Hanlon has spent his entire career at Easter Road, racking up more than 300 appearances for the club.
RYAN JACK
Club: Rangers
Position: Central midfielder
Jack completed his move to Ibrox from Aberdeen in the summer after spending his entire career at Pittodrie and has settled well with the Light Blues despite a tumultuous season so far that has led to the recent sacking of manager Pedro Caixinha.
His disciplinary record has come under scrutiny after Jack picked up three red cards in 10 league games, although two have since been rescinded.
CALLUM MCGREGOR
Club: Celtic
Position: Midfielder
McGregor’s omission from Gordon Strachan’s Scotland squads was the cause of much confusion after a string of impressive performances for Celtic since Brendan Rodgers’ arrival. The 24-year-old was eventually called up for the final Russia 2018 qualifiers against Slovakia and Slovenia but failed to feature and he remains without a senior cap.
Capable of playing in a variety of roles across the midfield, the Hoops youth product has been in excellent form again this term, scoring five goals in 11 Premiership games to catch Mackay’s eye as well as netting in the recent Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.
GRAEME SHINNIE
Club: Aberdeen
Position: Central midfielder/Left-back
Aberdeen fans have been calling for Shinnie’s inclusion in the national set-up for quite some time after playing a key role in the Dons’ run to the Scottish Cup and Betfred Cup finals last season as well as a second-place finish in the Premiership.
The versatile former Inverness Caledonian Thistle man can play in midfield or at left-back and his creative eye has seen him provide six assists in 11 league games for Derek McInnes’ side this season already.
RYAN CHRISTIE
Club: Aberdeen, on loan from Celtic
Position: Attacking midfielder/Winger
One of four players to be called into the Scotland squad for the first time - along with Hanlon, Jack and Cummings – Christie has been in sparkling form for the Dons since first joining them on loan from the champions in January.
Aged 22, Brendan Rodgers will hope that Christie’s best years are still ahead of him and his return of two goals and five assists in 11 games this season, added to the seven strikes he notched in the second half of the 2016/17 campaign, suggests there is much more to come.
JASON CUMMINGS
Club: Nottingham Forest
Position: Striker
The 22-year-old departed Hibernian in the summer to join up with former Rangers manager Mark Warburton in the English Championship.
He is yet to demonstrate the same clinical finishing that saw him score 19 goals in the Scottish second tier last term, with a solitary strike to his name after 10 outings for Forest in the Championship so far. Cummings has fared better in the EFL Cup, scoring three times in two games against Shrewsbury and Newcastle United before their elimination to Chelsea.
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