John Souttar returns to the Scotland squad for the first time in a year, while Kevin Nisbet is recalled after last playing for his country in 2021; Grant Hanley and Che Adams absent with injury; Jack Hendry and Lawrence Shankland included; Scotland face Norway and Georgia next month
Monday 29 May 2023 16:02, UK
John Souttar and Kevin Nisbet have been recalled to the Scotland squad for next month's Euro 2024 qualifiers against Norway and Georgia.
The Scots, who began their Euro 2024 qualifiers in March with impressive home wins over Cyprus and Spain, travel to Norway for their June 17 clash before hosting Georgia at Hampden Park three days later.
Steve Clarke's side face the daunting task, in the first match of the double-header, of trying to stop 22-year-old Manchester City striker Haaland, who has scored a staggering 58 goals in all competitions so far this season.
The 26-year-old, who returned to the Rangers side at the back end of the season after missing much of the campaign through injury, has not played for the national team since last summer's Nations League defeat in Ireland.
Souttar takes the place of Norwich centre-back Grant Hanley, who has been sidelined with an Achilles problem since early April. Nisbet has not played for his country since 2021.
The Hibernian striker is back in the fold after scoring 12 goals in 19 Premiership games following his return from a serious knee injury, while Souttar enjoyed regular games at Rangers after recovering from a lengthy ankle issue.
Clarke said: "When you lose players of the quality of Grant, whom we have lost for a considerable period of time, which is unfortunate for Grant, it is nice to have someone like John come back into the squad and hopefully he can show the form that he showed before any time I picked him for his country."
There is a call-up, though, for Jack Hendry, the Club Brugge defender who missed out on the last squad due to injury.
He is joined in Clarke's squad by Angus Gunn, the Norwich goalkeeper who made his debut earlier this year, and Dominic Hyam, the Blackburn defender who is yet to earn his first cap but was on the bench for the March internationals.
Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland has been included in place of Stoke's Jacob Brown, who missed the end of the Championship season with a hamstring issue, and Southampton's Che Adams, who recently suffered a recurrence of the ankle injury he sustained in Scotland's win over Cyprus.
Shankland, who previously made four appearances between October 2019 and November 2020, was recalled for the Spain game in March and has kept his place at the end of a campaign in which he has scored 28 goals for Hearts.
Asked about the absence of Adams, Clarke said: "It is always disappointing when you lose key players, but you tend to get used to it.
"You normally name a squad and you lose key players all the time so, disappointing for Che, disappointing end to the season getting relegated with his club.
"He tried to come back and probably aggravated his injury trying to help his club so disappointing for Che but a chance for Kevin Nisbet to come back into the squad.
"Kevin is a goalscorer, we know the qualities he brings us. He has been in the squad before. Lawrence is in the squad, same qualities, he can score goals and don't forget we have Lyndon (Dykes) as well.
"I thought he was really good in the game against Spain. We have enough quality up front."
The upcoming fixtures will see Scotland play Norway in Oslo on June 17 before hosting Georgia at Hampden Park on June 20.
Clarke's side began their campaign to reach next summer's Euro 2024 finals in impressive fashion, recording wins over Cyprus and Spain.
He said: "When you are playing in a five-team group, eight games to qualify, every game is important.
"Every point that we can get over the summer is going to help us to the ultimate target, which is to qualify for Germany."
Clarke insisted there is more to Norway than Erling Haaland after naming his squad for the resumption of Scotland's European Championship qualification campaign in Oslo.
Speaking in Glasgow's George Square at the McDonald's Fun Football Festival, which is part of the Scottish Football Association's week of football, he said: "There are a lot of good players in the Norway side that we have to deal with as well as Haaland, who has obviously had an outstanding season.
"He is a top-quality player. We need to make sure we are organised and make sure we play well and don't make too many mistakes.
"We respect everybody, we respect our opponents all the time and we will give Norway and Georgia our full attention."
Asked if he was wary of the focus being too much on Haaland, he replied: "I am wary of the fact that you are going to go down the line of Haaland, Haaland, Haaland.
"There are lots of other players that we need to deal with as well."
Goalkeepers: Zander Clark, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly
Defenders: Liam Cooper, Jack Hendry, Aaron Hickey, Dominic Hyam, Nathan Patterson, Ryan Porteous, Anthony Ralston, Andy Robertson, John Souttar, Greg Taylor, Kieran Tierney
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson, Ryan Jack, John McGinn, Callum McGregor, Kenny McLean, Scott McTominay
Forwards: Ryan Christie, Lyndon Dykes, Kevin Nisbet, Lawrence Shankland