Adam arrives as Thomson and Whittaker withdraw

Published on Tuesday 10 November 2009 21:22

SCOTLAND manager George Burley has been dealt a double blow ahead of Saturday's friendly in Wales after Rangers duo Kevin Thomson and Steven Whittaker were forced to withdraw from the squad.

Whittaker was substituted during half-time of Saturday's SPL win against St Mirren with a hamstring strain, while Thomson has been ruled out after failing to recover from a sickness bug. Those call-offs have seen Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam recalled for the clash in Cardiff.

Burley said: "Kevin is still laid low with a virus after one or two of the Rangers players were affected after their European game. The doctor looked at him this morning and he is still not 100 per cent. We were hoping to take him with us but unfortunately he is still laid low. Steven Whittaker has a hamstring injury and will not be available either.

"We have called Charlie Adam into the squad who did very well at the weekend and scored a cracking goal for Blackpool."

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon was already forced to withdraw after suffering a fracture to his arm, resulting in a recall for St Mirren goalkeeper Paul Gallacher.

Meanwhile, Hibernian full-back Lewis Stevenson has been added to the Scotland Under-21 squad for Saturday's European Championship qualifier in Azerbaijan. Stevenson, 21, earned the last of his eight caps a year ago.

Stevenson joins Motherwell midfielder Ross Forbes in being added to the squad after St Mirren's Stephen McGinn and Manchester United's David Gray were forced to pull out through injury.