Scotland boss Steve Clarke explains decisions over Celtic trio

By Matthew Elder
Published 16th Mar 2021, 15:32 BST
Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has been left out of Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for next week's World Cup qualifiers (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has been left out of Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for next week's World Cup qualifiers (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has been left out of Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for next week's World Cup qualifiers (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Steve Clarke has named his Scotland squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers – with much debate over who should and should not have been included.

The backbone of the side that qualified for this summer’s Euro 2020 remains in place but there are also new faces with Southampton striker Che Adams and Hibs front man Kevin Nisbet bringing some much-needed freshness to the attack.

A hot topic is the omission of Celtic midfielder David Turnbull – one of the Scottish Premiership’s star performers this season – while the decision to drop Leigh Griffiths is more self-explanatory with the striker struggling for first team action in recent weeks.

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The inclusion of Celtic outcast Jack Hendry – currently impressing on-loan at KV Oostende in Belgium – has also proved a talking point, with the 25-year-old defender earning a recall having won the last of his three caps in October 2018.

Clarke’s side are due to face Austria, Israel and Faroe Islands in a triple-header next week as they kick-off their bid to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

On his decision to bring Hendry back into the fold, the national boss said: "I think it's really important to have him. Obviously Grant Hanley's back in the squad as well, I had Grant in the squad in November but he had to pull out with an injury.

"Jack's a player that I've known from my time working in Scotland. Obviously he was a great prospect at Dundee, I liked his