As injuries mount, preparation for World Cup begins with USA friendly

The match may not be a competitive fixture but, along with the challenge match lined up against Australia in August, it is going to play its part in helping hone the squad of players the Scotland boss will rely on as he tries to guide the nation through the tough Group A and towards their first major championships since 1998.

Levein says he would like to have around 45 players from which he can select each 22-man squad and, with so many of the regular picks currently nursing injuries, he says the trip to Jacksonville is the ideal opportunity to bring some of those on the periphery back into the reckoning.

“We have a few problems as you are probably aware,” said the Scotland manager, who will name his squad this week. But he has been buoyed by the form of others, including many of those involved in the play-offs down south.

“Matt Phillips [pictured] will play. He was supposed to play in Slovenia and, if he is fit, he will play in the States. He played really well on Wednesday [for Blackpool against Birmingham City]. I was really pleased with him. When you consider he is just a kid. We have him and young James Forrest and all of a sudden we have real pace which is not something we have had in the national team for a long time.

“[Shaun] Maloney is another one who will be considered and Chris Burke played last night and is another who is on the radar. I’m not saying he is in the squad. . . I haven’t picked the squad yet. But Andy Webster is another who is in contention as we have lost Grant Hanley. There are a lot of players who have serious injuries. [Alan] Hutton is in a boot for six weeks, he has done his ankle. That’s unfortunate because he missed the last one and wanted to come. He needs a rest and a pre-season. We have some really bad injuries. Charlie Adam is out, Darren Fletcher is out, [James] Morrison came back for five minutes but he won’t be coming with us. He still has this medial knee problems. He has been back on the bench but is needing a complete rest. [Robert] Snodgrass won’t be coming, he has a back problem that is ongoing. He will have had three weeks between the end of the season and this game and is in the middle of a programme to strengthen his back.”

The list would be more troublesome if the match against USA was more than a challenge match and if Levein was not encouraged by the quality of those who can come in and make up the numbers.

“Craig Gordon will come with us. We will be taking 22, something like that. I have this 45 in my head and there are guys doing particularly well that I would to see them given a chance. This is an important game for us. We only have these two preparation matches and this will be really tough.

“The USA have two qualifying games after they play us. This isn’t a friendly for them, it’s a preparation match.”