Scotland name four uncapped players in Nations League squad as 10-year wait ends and Ben Doak decision made

It has taken 10 years and much campaigning from the Tartan Army, but Ryan Gauld has finally earned his call-up to the Scotland national side.

The Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder is one of three uncapped players named in Steve Clarke's 24-man squad ahead of the upcoming Nations League matches against Poland and Portugal.

Gauld's only previous Scotland selection came in October 2014 - shortly after a £3million move from Dundee United to Sporting Lisbon - when he was named in Gordon Strachan's squad for Euro 2016 qualifying matches against Georgia and Poland, but did not play. The 28-year-old has been in the international wilderness ever since despite some impressive performances both in the Portuguese top flight with Farense, and then in the MLS since joining Vancouver in 2021.

He is currently enjoying an outstanding season with 10 goals and 10 assists in 28 appearances for the Canadian side and for many, his inclusion is long overdue with Scotland in need of midfield creativity after a barren Euro 2024, where Clarke’s side had fewer goal attempts than any other nation as they made a disappointing group stage exit.

Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ryan Guald has earned his first Scotland call-up in 10 years. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Gauld is not the only returnee with goalkeeper Robbie McCrorie, who has featured in previous squads but remains uncapped, earning a recall after finding first-team football at Kilmarnock following his summer move from Rangers. Ironically, the former Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly, who replaced McCrorie as Rangers' back-up in the summer, has dropped out.

Ben Doak has also been selected after the 18-year-old Liverpool winger had to withdraw from his maiden Euro 2024 squad due to not being fully recovered from the injury that sidelined him for the second half of last season. With a full pre-season under his belt, which included some opportunities to impress in friendly matches under new Reds manager Arne Slot, there will be some excitement over the prospect of the former teenage livewire earning his first senior cap.

The fourth and final uncapped member of the squad is Sturm Graz right-back Max Johnston. The 20-year-old has been given an opportunity to stake a claim due to injuries to Aaron Hickey, Nathan Patterson and Ross McCrorie. Johnston has played regularly albeit mostly as a substitute since making the move to Austria, where he won the league title last season. He has previously played for the Scotland Under-21s and there are high hopes for the former Motherwell player.

Rangers midfielder Connor Barron has not been included despite reports indicating he would be but the 21-year-old is very much knocking on the Scptland door after an impressive start to his Light Blues’ career and his time will come sooner rather than later.

While stopping short of making wholesale changes, with most of his Euro 2024 flops retaining their places, Clarke’s addition of some fresh blood is to be welcomed as he attempts to rediscover the missing spark that has seen his Scotland side win just one of their last 12 matches, which came against minnows Gibraltar.

The squad is the first to be announced since Celtic captain Callum McGregor announced his international retirement. He is not the only household name to be absent, however, with Stuart Armstrong, Liam Cooper and Ryan Jack, all free agents having left their respective clubs in the summer, rightly left out as they remain unattached with the season well underway. Al-Ettifaq defender Jack Hendry is a mystery omission with his status as a regular starter suggesting he may have an unreported injury.

Other notable call-ups include Queens Park Rangers striker Lyndon Dykes, who returns after missing Euro 2024 with injury, amid transfer speculation linking him with a move to Birmingham City, and Rangers defender John Souttar, who failed to make the cut for the summer tournament in Germany but returns after proving his fitness in the opening weeks of the season.

Liverpool's Ben Doak is back in the senior Scotland squad after missing Euro 2024 with injury. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Middlesbrough striker Tommy Conway, who was called up as Dykes replacement for Euro 2024, retains his place in the squad after making his debut off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Finland at Hampden in June. He was a Bristol City player then, but completed a £4.5million move to the Riverside Stadium this summer. New York Red Bulls attacker Lewis Morgan, who was another late call-up to Germany as a replacement for Doak, has also kept his place in the squad.

Clarke has also announced a change to his coaching team, with Alan Irvine joining the setup. The vastly-experienced Irvine, who will combine his national team duties with his role at West Ham, replaces James Morrison, who has left the Scotland coaching staff in order to focus on his club career.

Scotland kick-off their Nations League A campaign against Poland at Hampden on Thursday, September 5, before travelling to Lisbon to face Portugal three days later on Sunday, September 8.

Scotland squad:

Goalkeepers

Zander Clark (Heart of Midlothian)

Angus Gunn (Norwich City)

Robby McCrorie (Kilmarnock)

Defenders

Grant Hanley (Norwich City)

Max Johnston (SK Sturm Graz)

Scott McKenna (UD Las Palmas)

Ryan Porteous (Watford)

Anthony Ralston (Celtic)

Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)

John Souttar (Rangers)

Greg Taylor (Celtic)

Midfielders

Ryan Christie (AFC Bournemouth)

Ben Doak (Liverpool)

James Forrest (Celtic)

Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Billy Gilmour (Brighton & Hove Albion FC)

John McGinn (Aston Villa)

Kenny McLean (Norwich City)

Scott McTominay (Manchester United)

Lewis Morgan (New York Red Bulls)

Forwards

Ché Adams (Torino)

Tommy Conway (Middlesborough)

Lyndon Dykes (Queens Park Rangers)

Lawrence Shankland (Heart of Midlothian)