Billy Stark confident Norway will give U-21s ideal warm-up test

Billy Stark is confident that his Scotland Under-21 side will get the work-out they need in their challenge match against their Norway counterparts at St Mirren Park next month.

Stark yesterday announced his squad for the game, which will serve as a warm-up for the four European qualifier games coming up before the end of the year.

"For us the Scandinavian countries are always a good test and a good barometer of how we are placed," Stark told www.scottishfa.co.uk.

"We played Sweden this time last year at the same venue and we drew 1-1. It was a very even and tight game that stood us in good stead for the Championship games that followed that.

"Norway will be just as big a test for the team as they have the reputation for having good physical strength, as all Scandinavian countries do.

"But technically they have a very fixed idea of how they play, and it will be a big test for us."

Stark added: "I think the squad has a great balance to it. In any team you want to have some experience there, and sometimes an Under-21 squad suggests it's difficult to get that. But you can still have players that have come into previous Under-21 set-ups and carry through and we have a few players in that situation.

"It's good to have a core of players who know what it's about to play for the Under-21s, and they will play a part in the development of the squad."

Stark believes that the forthcoming games will give ample opportunity for the players to show that they are ready to make the step up to the 'A' squad.

He said: "Craig Levein has picked a number of young players for his squads recently and this is great encouragement to the squad as it shows that if they are good enough then they don't have to wait until they are too old for Under-21s to get a chance at A squad level.

"Part of our remit is to provide players for the full squad and we are trying to push as many through as it's a good indicator of how much talent we are producing."

Scotland Under-21 squad: Grant Adam (Rangers), Jordan Archer (Tottenham), Mark Ridgers (on loan to East Fife); Callum Booth (Hibernian), Darren Cole (Rangers), Paul Hanlon (Hibernian), Ryan Jack (Aberdeen), Stephen Saunders (Motherwell), Lewis Toshney (Celtic); Tom Cairney (Hull), Fraser Fyvie (Aberdeen), Liam Kelly (Kilmarnock), Liam Palmer (Sheffield Wednesday), Nicholas Ross (Inverness), David Wotherspoon (Hibernian), Gregg Wylde (Rangers); Leigh Griffiths (Wolves), Alex MacDonald (Burnley), Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield), Johnny Russell (Dundee United).