GORDON NOW GEARED UP FOR A CAP RECALL

CRAIG GORDON insists he remains ready and available for Scotland, despite missing out on Alex McLeish’s first four matches in charge.

Injured when the national manager named his first squads for friendlies against Costa Rica and Hungary, Gordon had regained his Celtic place by the end of the season, but was one of a raft of Parkhead players excused from making the trip to face Peru and Mexico.

Allan McGregor also pulled out of the summer trip but McLeish had stated the returning Rangers keeper had regained the No 1 spot after playing in the spring fixtures.

Jordan Archer, Jon McLaughlin and Celtic No 2 Scott Bain all made their debuts on tour but Gordon insists he is ready to re-establish his rivalry with McGregor ahead of the effort to qualify for Euro 2020.

‘There’s no suggestion of me stepping back from Scotland,’ said Gordon. ‘It was a case of going away and getting the treatment I needed over the four weeks.

‘Come the end of last season, I wasn’t really fit. I came back specifically for the Scottish Cup final and did everything I could for those three weeks leading up to it to allow myself to play in that game. I had to then step back to make sure I was ready for the start of this campaign.

‘I went to London to see a specialist. I wasn’t going to be able to do myself justice in those Scotland games.

‘I have not been doing absolutely everything in preseason because I am 35 now and I have to miss the odd session.

‘But it’s improved drastically and, hopefully, I’ll be fine.’