The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Strachan looking for feelgood factor for England game
Manager hopes to use feelgood factor built up by players who had ‘great’ club seasons
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan sought to add more positivity to his squad to face England by including more players with the feelgood factor.
Strachan has called up Aberdeen pair Mark Reynolds and Kenny McLean after the Dons finished ahead of Rangers in the Ladbrokes Premiership before Saturday’s Scottish Cup final against Celtic, while Jamie Murphy is included after helping Brighton win promotion to the Premier League.
There is no place for in-form Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor with Strachan highlighting the strength of his midfield as the reason, but six other Hoops players retain their spots for the World Cup qualifier at Hampden on June 10 after ending their league campaign undefeated.
Scotland kept their qualification hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Slovenia in March when Strachan handed Stuart Armstrong a debut alongside five of his Celtic team-mates.
The Parkhead confidence rubbed off and Strachan wanted more of the same.
“We thought about that the last game, people who were feeling good about themselves,” he said. “They bring that positivity to the squad.
“They (Celtic players) have had a great season, the Aberdeen lads have had a good season, the West Brom lads have had a decent season.
“So we look at that when we pick the squad – who is feeling good about themselves.
“We have eight players in the squad who will be in the final at the weekend. Some will be disappointed but, rest assured, whatever happens in the cup final, the players from both sides can be really pleased about what they have done this season.”
Scotland look a good bet to start with the six Celtic players again – Armstrong, Craig Gordon, Kieran Tierney, Scott Brown, James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths, who has been playing regularly following an injury to Moussa Dembele.
“It worked the last time but you have got to remember there were other players playing as well and they were terrific as well,” Strachan said.
“The Celtic players did very well and it’s a continuation of what they have been doing as well. So that’s in the forefront, you can tell by the squad. It was easy to pick these players, so easy.
“And Griff is getting a game regularly just now. It’s unfortunate the big fellow up front got injured. But I have to say that Griff’s 45 minutes (against Slovenia) was exceptional, I mean exceptional.”
Strachan felt McLean was “excellent” throughout Aberdeen’s recent 3-1 defeat by Celtic, the “best 45 minutes of football I have seen this season”.
The 25-year-old, who has one cap, is included partly at the expense of RB Leipzig winger Oliver Burke, who is set to join the Scotland Under-20s squad for the Toulon Tournament.
Strachan feels too much expectation has been placed on the £13 million winger, partly from himself.
He added: “Oliver started the last game of the season, his first game for a long, long time.
“We feel the Toulon Tournament will be better for him, to get three games in a short period of time, so he can breathe and enjoy himself without too much pressure.”
Swansea left-back Stephen Kingsley is also in after Lee Wallace was ruled out following stomach surgery, while West Brom winger Matt Phillips and Newcastle pair Grant Hanley and Matt Ritchie drop out after ending the season on the sidelines through injury.
Sheffield Wednesday forward Jordan Rhodes also misses out.