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Che Adams has been called up to Steve Clarke’s Scotland team for this month’s World Cup qualifiers.
The 24-year-old Southampton striker has been capped for England Under-20s, but qualifies for Scotland via grandparent rule. Also included are Kevin Nisbet and Jack Hendry without a cap.
Clarke’s team will face Austria at home on March 25, Israel absent three days later and the Faroe Islands at home on March 31.
“It actually happened very late,” Clarke said of Adams on Sky Sports.
“Obviously, Che is someone we tried to get to before, when Alex McLeish was a coach, I think, four years ago. He was a young man at the time. He’s matured a little bit more, played a few more games, got his move. to the Premier League and he did very well.
“Not long ago, I had a little hint or a little warning that he was interested in choosing Scotland as his international country.”
Defender Hendry, one of three right-handed defenders in a group of 10 on Clarke’s team, is on loan at Celtic’s KV Oostende Belgium, while forward Nisbet has scored 14 goals for Hibernian this season.
“Jack is a player I’ve known since I worked in Scotland,” added former Kilmarnock boss Clarke. “He has shown good maturity. He has left to try to restart his career. He is playing at a good level, playing in, game out.
“Kevin has shown this year that he’s a good scorer. I feel like Kevin has something on his teeth. It’s an area where we don’t particularly excel: scoring goals. Hopefully Kevin can give us a little different.
Adams has scored seven goals this season, his third in three games in Southampton’s weekend loss to Brighton.
By contrast, Lyndon Dykes, Scotland’s top striker in recent games, who is also on the team, has not scored in 20 games since November and has been relegated to the bench in four of Queens Park Rangers last five games. .
Sheffield United’s Scottish attacking duo, Oli Burke and Oli McBurnie, have three goals between them this season and only Burke has scored for their country, once. McBurnie retains her place in Clarke’s group.
However, there is no room for Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths, Dundee United striker Lawrence Shankland or Parkhead midfielder David Turnbull, with many saying the latter is in contention for a first call-up to the senior team.
Clarke said Turnbull was “one for the future,” while those who had retired from the team “know what they need to get back.”
This month’s opening qualifying matches for Qatar 2022 are Scotland’s last scheduled matches ahead of their Euro Cup matches with the Czech Republic, England and Croatia in this summer’s finals.
“Really big games are coming up for the World Cup,” Clarke said. “We don’t want to be a team that qualifies for a major tournament and then have to wait another 23 years for the next one.”
Scotland squad
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), David Marshall (Derby), Jon McLaughlin (Rangers)
Defenders: Andrew Considine (Aberdeen), Declan Gallagher (Motherwell), Grant Hanley (Norwich City), Jack Hendry (KV Oostende), Scott McKenna (Nottingham Forest), Stephen O’Donnell (Motherwell), Liam Palmer (Sheffield Wednesday), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Greg Taylor (Celtic), Kieran Tierney (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Ryan Christie (Celtic), John Fleck (Sheffield United), Ryan Jack (Rangers), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Manchester United ))
Forward: Che Adams (Southampton), Lyndon Dykes (Queens Park Rangers), Ryan Fraser (Newcastle), Oli McBurnie (Sheffield United), Kevin Nisbet (Hibernian)
