Who’s on the plane?

[VictorOnopko]

McTominaaaay

[JS_FFC]

On the assumption that 3 at the back is plan A, and listing players in their most likely positions, the current listing of the squad is along the lines of:

 

Goalkeepers - Angus Gunn, Craig Gordon, Zander Clark, Liam Kelly [4; 1 to start]

 

Right Wing Backs - Anthony Ralston, Ross McCrorie [2; 1 to start]

 

Centre Backs - Kieran Tierney, Jack Hendry, Ryan Porteous, Scott McKenna, Grant Hanley, Liam Cooper, John Souttar [7; 3 to start]

 

Left Wing Backs - Andy Robertson, Greg Taylor [2; 1 to start]

 

Holding Midfielders - Callum McGregor, Billy Gilmour, Kenny McLean, Ryan Jack [4; 1 or 2 to start]

 

Attacking Midfielders - John McGinn, Scott McTominay, Ryan Christie, Stuart Armstrong, James Forrest, Ben Doak [6; 2 or 3 to start]

 

Strikers - Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, Lawrence Shankland [3; 1 to start]

 

This is why 4 goalkeepers is mental to me. There's space to drop one of the CBs (Probably Souttar given he didn't even make the bench in the cup final), but other than that we are pretty thin on depth. Every single outfield player is surely several times more likely to be needed in the tournament than Kelly - and we'd be allowed to call Kelly up during the tournament if need be.

[2426255]

3 hours ago, JS_FFC said:

On the assumption that 3 at the back is plan A, and listing players in their most likely positions, the current listing of the squad is along the lines of:

 

Goalkeepers - Angus Gunn, Craig Gordon, Zander Clark, Liam Kelly [4; 1 to start]

 

Right Wing Backs - Anthony Ralston, Ross McCrorie [2; 1 to start]

 

Centre Backs - Kieran Tierney, Jack Hendry, Ryan Porteous, Scott McKenna, Grant Hanley, Liam Cooper, John Souttar [7; 3 to start]

 

Left Wing Backs - Andy Robertson, Greg Taylor [2; 1 to start]

 

Holding Midfielders - Callum McGregor, Billy Gilmour, Kenny McLean, Ryan Jack [4; 1 or 2 to start]

 

Attacking Midfielders - John McGinn, Scott McTominay, Ryan Christie, Stuart Armstrong, James Forrest, Ben Doak [6; 2 or 3 to start]

 

Strikers - Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, Lawrence Shankland [3; 1 to start]

 

This is why 4 goalkeepers is mental to me. There's space to drop one of the CBs (Probably Souttar given he didn't even make the bench in the cup final), but other than that we are pretty thin on depth. Every single outfield player is surely several times more likely to be needed in the tournament than Kelly - and we'd be allowed to call Kelly up during the tournament if need be.

You're missing a number of double ups.

Tierney (LWB). McGinn (Holding Mid). McTominay (Holding Mid, Centre Back). Christie (Striker). McCrorie (Centre Back, Holding Mid). McLean (Attacking Mid) etc

[Skyline Drifter]

29 minutes ago, 2426255 said:

You're missing a number of double ups.

Tierney (LWB). McGinn (Holding Mid). McTominay (Holding Mid, Centre Back). Christie (Striker). McCrorie (Centre Back, Holding Mid). McLean (Attacking Mid) etc

He is, yes. But that doesnt change the point that he's right about Kelly (or Gordon).

With Armstrong apparently fit and Souttar missing today I'm coming round to the thought it may be Souttar who misses out. Still, the likes of Doak, Forrest, Jack and Taylor cant be completely comfortable yet either.

[Chripper]

Russel Martin said that Armstrong will miss the Championship playoffs.

He isn't fit.

I'm sure that Clarke will give him every chance to prove his fitness, though.

He might be part of the 26. It's not like he's in the starting XI.

I just hope that Doak is kept in the final 26.

[2426255]

33 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

He is, yes. But that doesnt change the point that he's right about Kelly (or Gordon).

I suppose if @JS_FFC is right it must make Deschamps wrong to take only 25 players or Nagelsmann wrong to take 4 keepers then?

Edited May 25 by 2426255

[Skyline Drifter]

1 hour ago, SlayerX said:

Russel Martin said that Armstrong will miss the Championship playoffs.

He isn't fit.

I'm sure that Clarke will give him every chance to prove his fitness, though.

He might be part of the 26. It's not like he's in the starting XI.

I just hope that Doak is kept in the final 26.

Russell Martin also said yesterday Armstrong will be fine.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24345320.stuart-armstrong-expected-recover-time-euro-2024/

[Butters Scotch]

56 minutes ago, 2426255 said:

I suppose if @JS_FFC is right it must make Deschamps wrong to take only 25 players or Nagelsmann wrong to take 4 keepers then?

Can't you offer your own opinion on things? Live a little man. 

[Chripper]

17 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Russell Martin also said yesterday Armstrong will be fine.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24345320.stuart-armstrong-expected-recover-time-euro-2024/

Fine for Euros but not for the Championship playoff final?

Fair enough.

I trust Mr Clarke.

If he's going to call up a player who's been out for 7 months, I don't think he'd bat an eyelash about picking a player who hasn't played in 2 months.

[2426255]

A few quotes from the papers about the selection process. Nothing groundbreaking in there to be fair, but some interesting bits and pieces.

Quote

There is cover in the squad. I have tried to cover all positions, all possibilities. There is still a bit tumbling around in my mind that I need to see over the next 10 days, half a dozen training sessions and two friendlies. Then I can firm up what I do when I go to Germany. There are things you can think about. The idea when you pick a squad and to pick a squad of 26 is to give yourself as many options to cover as many bases as you can, and that is what I have tried to do.

Steve Clarke

https://www.rangersreview.co.uk/news/24339659.steve-clarke-rejects-ryan-jack-claim-reveals-rangers-man-fit/?ref=rss

Quote

It was actually much more difficult if I’m being honest. We lost four players — Ferguson, Patterson, Hickey, Brown — who probably would have been in the squad. We now need to find four replacements and I’ve a number of players who are either returning to play or not playing very often at their clubs. You have to look at them and think, ‘OK, how do we get them in? How do we assess their fitness? How do we know their fitness?’. So there are still one or two doubts, even as we go into the last ten days before we get to the final selection of 26. That was the reason for the slightly bigger squad. It was just to give me a little bit of time to assess one or two different people and hopefully come up with the right choice at the end.

Steve Clarke

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/12730189/steve-clarke-scotland-euros-squad-standby-list/

Quote

There are four coming back from injury or not playing regularly at their clubs. There are one or two we need to keep an eye on. Ross McCrorie coming into the squad as a new uncapped player is something else to look at. James Forrest is coming in as well, so there are one or two things still swimming around my head. It’s not quite the tumble dryer it was last week, it’s a little bit calmer than that. There are still one or two factors to consider.

Steve Clarke

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/steve-clarke-reveals-ben-doaks-scotland-chances-and-why-he-didnt-speak-to-liverpool-manager-jurgen-klopp-4638930

Quote

These things, people will never know. I’ve had private conversations with a lot of people. That’s all I’ll say on that. I don’t think it’s fair that I sit here and discuss players who can play for other countries. I know what I’m doing. Was I panicking when there was a couple of weekends when players were going down injured? Aye. Listen, it’s part of the game. In March, I said that I knew we’d probably lose players to injury. Historically, it’s usually two in every camp. But this time it’s four who would have been picked - or close to being picked - in Jacob Brown, Nathan Patterson, Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson. It was disappointing because I had to make four sad phone calls. But I had to re-emphasise to all of them that they’re young enough to make the next tournament.

Steve Clarke

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/24344308.clarke-satisfied-scotland-refuseniks-will-regret-choice/?ref=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[microdave]

When do the squad meet up?

[2426255]

21 minutes ago, microdave said:

When do the squad meet up?

I think you can figure that out from the information above. My guess would be Tuesday, maybe Monday evening. Steve Clarke said he has 10 days to decide on his final 26 players and if you work that back from the 7th of June (Squad Deadline) then it takes you to Tue-28th, which as it happens is the day they normally tend to meet up.

Players who've had or still have games this weekend will have longer probably.

Spoiler

Quote

There is still a bit tumbling around in my mind that I need to see over the next 10 days, half a dozen training sessions and two friendlies. Then I can firm up what I do when I go to Germany.

Steve Clarke

https://www.rangersreview.co.uk/news/24339659.steve-clarke-rejects-ryan-jack-claim-reveals-rangers-man-fit/?ref=rss

Edited May 26 by 2426255

[JS_FFC]

Have to think the minutes for the Gibraltar game will be heavily influenced by who needs a bit of a kick about because they’re coming back from injury or their club season ended earlier than some of the others. For Finland I’d be looking to play close to a first XI. 

[Chripper]

On 26/05/2024 at 13:02, microdave said:

When do the squad meet up?

Wednesday.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/clkk7rmk47mo

 

[rainbowrising]

Just looking through the squad and it is relatively old. An awful lot of these guys will be 31+ in 4 years time. 

[Skyline Drifter]

1 minute ago, rainbowrising said:

Just looking through the squad and it is relatively old. An awful lot of these guys will be 31+ in 4 years time. 

Eh? Does that not make it relatively young? A lot of these guys AREN'T 31+ NOW.

[2426255]

25 minutes ago, rainbowrising said:

Just looking through the squad and it is relatively old. An awful lot of these guys will be 31+ in 4 years time. 

Yes, It's a more experienced, older squad and has been trending that way for a wee while.

Going by his comments in the press and the link he's strengthened with the under-21's Clarke is aware of that. I don't see it as something to be concerned about. 

Spoiler

Quote

Then again, I look at this group of players – and I don’t want to make a big point to it – but there are some who are starting to age a little bit. At some stage there has to be a refresh, which is a bit of a nod to Ben Doak for this one. We need to start thinking that maybe we have to change in the future.

Steve Clarke

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/steve-clarke-reveals-ben-doaks-scotland-chances-and-why-he-didnt-speak-to-liverpool-manager-jurgen-klopp-4638930

Quote

If you look through the squad, there are a number of players who are 32 or 33 so will be 34 or 35 come the next tournament. Craig Gordon will be 43! So, there will be more evolution in the future, no matter who the head coach is. Ben Doak can be one going forward, so let’s have a look.

Steve Clarke

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/24344308.clarke-satisfied-scotland-refuseniks-will-regret-choice/?ref=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Edited May 28 by 2426255

[rainbowrising]

35 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Eh? Does that not make it relatively young? A lot of these guys AREN'T 31+ NOW.

More for where we are as a continuing squad. Players always come and go but it would be good to see a few more in the lower age groups. 

[Butters Scotch]

I don't think players ages have much bearing on the squad selections, we will always continue to play with the best players we have available regardless of it hence why Gordon is still in the squad at 41.

Players like Doak and Gilmour are just outrageously good for their ages so rightly got selected as young as they were and we were struggling to find a RB for years so Patterson got selected for the last euros as he was one that potentially could of been long-term successor at the time.

 

 

 

 

[Skyline Drifter]

1 hour ago, 2426255 said:

Yes, It's a more experienced, older squad and has been trending that way for a wee while.

Going by his comments in the press and the link he's strengthened with the under-21's Clarke is aware of that. I don't see it as something to be concerned about. 

  Reveal hidden contents

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/steve-clarke-reveals-ben-doaks-scotland-chances-and-why-he-didnt-speak-to-liverpool-manager-jurgen-klopp-4638930

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/24344308.clarke-satisfied-scotland-refuseniks-will-regret-choice/?ref=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Yes, but it's trending upwards from a low base as this squad came together pretty young. I don't think an average age of 28 is particularly old and it would likely be marginally younger if Hickey and Patterson were fit. It'll also be younger if Gordon is left out, or if Forrest hadn't been called up.

39 minutes ago, rainbowrising said:

More for where we are as a continuing squad. Players always come and go but it would be good to see a few more in the lower age groups. 

Again, I don't think it's a particularly old squad as it stands. upper mid 20's seems about an ideal average. The time to worry about the next tournament's squad is when this one is done. If you focus on squad succession too early you'll never focus on the one you're actually currently playing! It would be interesting to see how the age profile compares to other squads? @2426255 that sounds like your kind of thing?

There aren't all that many in the current squad for whom this is their last tournament necessarily. Gordon certainly. Forrest, Cooper, Hanley, Armstrong, McLean, Jack probably. Not one of those players is a first choice starter currently though (Hanley and Gordon might be if they had been fit in the last year). Of the regular starters only Robertson and McGregor have even reached 30. McGinn, Christie and Hendry are 29. There's a good argument that anyone important has two more tournaments in them.