Strachan defends squad choice and insists Scotland are not stagnating
GORDON STRACHAN has hit back at criticism of his World Cup squad selection and insisted Scotland are not stagnating under his reign.
The national coach will gather his group together on Tuesday to prepare for the road to Russia qualifying campaign opener against Malta.
The pool, which surprisingly did not include attacking talents Ross McCormack and Shaun Maloney, was branded unimaginative and packed with too many of the same old faces.
Yet Strachan pointed to 10 differences between his 27-man squad and the one named two years ago for the Euro 2016 kick-off against Germany as evidence of Scotland’s development.
And, as the average age drops to 26.2 from a UEFA tournament high of 29, he highlighted the inclusion of young quintet Barrie McKay, Oliver Burke, John McGinn, Kieran Tierney and Jack Hamilton, saying: ‘We are evolving. I really can’t understand why people think it’s a stagnant squad. There are 10 changes there, five new players in and that says it all.
‘As far as I’m concerned, it’s changed quite significantly, especially since I first took over. It looks completely different to me from two years ago.
‘Even with James Forrest, we’ve always had him in there. But looking at him right now, it’s like having a new player. Robert Snodgrass, we’ve not had him for two years really.
‘Add them to the young players and I scratch my head when people say there’s no change to the squad. You’re looking at a revitalised squad. We’re quite happy to take a chance on youth if you’re there.
‘But we’re definitely not going to put you in just because your name is different from someone who’s been about for eight years. That doesn’t work. The criteria is that you’re good enough.’