The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Scotland call-ups for five former United stars
SUMMER TRIP: McLeish names inexperienced squad for friendlies in Mexico and Peru
Former Dundee United central defender John Souttar has been called up for Scotland’s summer trip across the Atlantic.
It is the first time the now Hearts player has been selected by his country at senior level, having played 11 times for the under-21s.
Souttar is one of five ex-Tannadice men picked by national coach Alex McLeish for the friendlies against Peru and Mexico .
He will be joined by other ex-United players Johnny Russell, who recently moved from Derby County to Sporting Kansas City in MLS in the United States, Barry Douglas of Wolves, Blackburn’s Charlie Mulgrew and Celtic’s Stuart Armstrong.
Also called up again is former Dundee central defender Jack Hendry, now with Celtic.
McLeish insists no favours were handed out when he named an inexperienced squad for the trip.
The Scotland manager picked seven uncapped players – including Hibernian left-back Lewis Stevenson, new Celtic winger Lewis Morgan, Hearts defender John Souttar and Aberdeen midfielder Graeme Shinnie – and only four players who are into double figures in their cap counts.
Celtic players Craig Gordon, Callum McGregor, James Forrest, Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney are left out, although Stuart Armstrong and Jack Hendry are included along with Ryan Christie, whose loan spell at Aberdeen has ended.
McLeish held talks with Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers over his plans for a trip organised by axed chief executive Stewart Regan before the manager was appointed.
But decisions on who to rest were taken after detailed statistical analysis by the Scottish Football Associations’s performance staff.
“We took every individual on their own merits,” McLeish said.
“It wasn’t a case of doing anybody any favours, it was more about what we felt about the future as well.
“I have seen in the past young players suffer burnout later on in their careers.
“The Celtic boys have played a lot of football over the last two years, never miss training sessions.
“So there is a fantastic input from them. Ultimately, it’s going to benefit the national team, that’s why I have allowed some concessions.
“I had a chat with Brendan because obviously there’s a lot of Celtic players in the squad, and one or two of them will definitely be in better condition for the Euro qualifiers. We have just used a bit of common sense.
“We have got all the stats. We see the playing time and training time, anything you want is available. And it’s there for someone else to show what they can do and enhance the squad even further and give me even more selection headaches.”
Stevenson’s first call-up at the age of 30 was the major surprise, although Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson is on Champions League final duty days before the Peru game in Lima on May 29.
McLeish said: “I have seen Stevenson a few times and I have known him since he was a kid, and he has been very consistent this season. I have rarely seen a full-back that has played to the level of Lewis in this particular campaign.”
Five of the 24-man squad are eligible for the under-21s – Souttar, Morgan, Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna, Manchester United’s Scott McTominay and Swansea forward Oli McBurnie.
But McLeish is mindful of the need to ensure they are competitive against two teams who are bound for Russia in June.
“We are the warm-up act for two teams who are highly-motivated and going to the World Cup finals,” he said.
“And we have got to work in these two games, both mentally and physically, in terms of saying we are not going over there as cannon fodder. We want to give a good show and also spoil their parties a bit.”