I Eckspect club bosses to hand me their stars
ALEX McLEISH has vowed to “lean on” club managers to make sure key players are released for Scotland’s Euro 2020 campaign.
Having secured the bonus play-off spot already through the Nations League route, Scotland kick off the regular qualifiers for next year’s finals in March. An away double-header
against Kazakhstan and San Marino will be vital for McLeish’s side in a group also featuring Cyprus, Belgium and Russia.
Scotland plan to take the seven-hour flight to Kazakh capital Astana on the night of Sunday, March 17.
Earlier that day Celtic – with at least seven stars likely to be in the Scotland reckoning – are involved in a league clash at Dundee.
That same afternoon skipper Andy Robertson will be in Liverpool’s team at Fulham.
The next domestic fixture for Celtic after the international doubleheader is the crucial Old Firm league derby against Rangers on March 31.
But McLeish wants his top stars with him for the gruelling trip to Kazakhstan and San Marino and will stress that to club bosses.
Ahead of the March 21 and 24 qualifiers, he said: “The Nations League is a bonus – we are really concentrated on the upcoming Euros.
“I would lean on the club managers to realise that the players are going to be called up from their clubs.
“We feel if we get every player available to us that we want in the squad then obviously that increases our chances.”