Beck, Herron called into Scotland U21 squad

SCOTLAND Under-21 manager Billy Stark has made a couple of enforced changes to the squad which travels to the Netherlands this week for Thursday’s 2015 Uefa European Championship Group 3 qualifier.

With Hibernian striker Danny Handling and Partick Thistle midfielder Stuart Bannigan having pulled out last night, Stark has handed an opportunity to Carlisle United forward Mark Beck and Celtic youngster John Herron.

The young Scots are still smarting from a 6-0 thrashing from England in their recent friendly outing, but will attempt to rally themselves for the match in Nijmegan without a player one of Stark’s predecessors as the U21s’ coach believes should have been firmly in the running for a place.

Falkirk’s Technical Director Alex Smith said yesterday that he had been left stunned by the omission of defender Kieran Duffie from the squad.

Duffie has previoulsy been capped six times and Smith said: “I cannot understand Kieran’s omission as he has been playing really well for us. If there is someone playing better than him well they must be having some season.”

“Kieran came on in the England game but the game was well away from Scotland before he was brought on so I don’t think it has anything to do with that. I’ll have a chat with Billy as I do not understand this at all.”