WAITING TO PLAY HIS JOKER
Cummings’ ‘Batman’ celebration is put on hold as Mackay opts to start with Phillips
MALKY MACKAY will keep his ‘joker’ in reserve as he prepares to deploy West Brom winger Matt Phillips in the striker’s role against Holland this week. The withdrawal of Celtic ace Leigh Griffiths from Thursday night’s Pittodrie friendly has forced Mackay to confront a lack of forward firepower within the Scotland squad. But the interim boss says it is wrong to assume that the only other out-and-out striker in the squad, Jason Cummings, is automatically promoted to the starting XI. The former Hibs frontman was showing off a natty hand tattoo yesterday that will make up part of any goal celebration — inspired by Batman’s nemesis, The Joker. But he will have to bide his time after Mackay revealed he has spoken with Phillips about the 26-year-old leading the line despite a goalless record in his eight
appearances for Scotland. Mackay said he was leaning towards playing ‘not without a striker — just someone different’ and added: ‘Matt is another who has — and can — play through the middle. James Forrest has played there. Ryan Christie has played there. I’m hedging my bets. ‘Jason is coming in as someone who is an addition. Let’s see how he does in and about a Scotland squad, being involved, and how he is going forward. ‘He’s now at the next step of his career down in Nottingham. He has to become a regular there. ‘That’s the next step for him, stepping up into the Championship, which is a tough, tough league, really resilient. ‘He’s got to make sure that he ends up becoming a starter for Mark Warburton at Nottingham Forest.’ The loss of Griffiths with a calf problem is an obvious blow, Mackay addressing the striker shortage as he acknowledged: ‘There is not a lot we can do about it in this camp here. ‘I am looking to see whether Matt Phillips, who has played in that position for West Brom, can play there, whether James Forrest and Ryan Christie can play in a false position or Cummings can play there. So that is what I am looking at in the next few days.’ Asked if former Easter Road favourite Cummings needed to grow up physically and mentally at Forest, Mackay said: ‘Very much so. I spoke to Jim Stewart (Scotland and Nottingham Forest goalkeeping coach) and they are working on him physically. ‘The Championship is a tough league for anybody to have a career in. They are big, they are strong, they are physical. ‘There are people in it you have never heard of before. You look and think: “He was really good today, who’s he?” And he’s played 350 games in England. ‘For any of our lads making the move, it’s how they adapt. ‘Sometimes the penny drops a little bit later. Sometimes it is about different environments.’