Fad: Go out and be the man...

COACH James McFadden wants players aspiring to be “the man” when they play for Scotland.

Alex McLeish’s first squad of his second tenure as boss gathered at a hotel outside Edinburgh on Sunday night ahead of Friday’s game against Costa Rica at Hampden Park, before next Tuesday’s trip to Hungary for the second-part of the friendly double header.

Swansea striker Oli McBurnie and Wolves full-back Barry Douglas were among six new faces named initially, along with Hearts goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin, Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna and Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay.

Celtic defender Jack Hendry was called up for the first time on Sunday when Rangers defender Russell Martin withdrew through injury.

McFadden said: “We want to go and excite people, win games and get that belief back.

“I want them to come in with the attitude of, ‘I want to be the man, I want to achieve something for Scotland’.

“I have sat here as a player talking about believing we could win and I truly did believe.

“I think we need to get back to that, to really believing that we can achieve something special here and I think we can.

“It is chance for the younger guys to be part of something special.

“For so long we have talked our game down. If we could get awards for talking our game we would. We need to start talking it up and bringing that belief that young players can come in and impress and express themselves.

“I was one myself and I didn’t listen when people said I couldn’t do things.

“It is a chance for them to force themselves into the team for the Nations League.

“We have watched them at their clubs. It is a step up at international level but a chance for them to be part of something we believe will be really special.”

Meanwhile, Dylan McGeouch has been forced to pull out of the Scotland squad after suffering a groin injury.