'Oversight' on goalkeepers catches Scotland short

Head coach Steve Clarke concedes nan dearth of emerging goalkeepers is simply a interest and "probably an oversight" for Scotland.

With 42-year-old Craig Gordon missing, Angus Gunn returns for nan June friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Gunn, presently a free supplier aft leaving Norwich City, has 15 caps and was first prime astatine Euro 2024 earlier wounded struck, allowing Gordon to reclaim his spot.

Uncapped duo Robby McCrorie and Cieran Slicker supply back-up, pinch nan second having played 10 minutes arsenic a substitute for Ipswich Town each season.

McCrorie made 20 Premiership starts for Kilmarnock, while nan immense mostly of Scottish top-flight goalkeepers travel from different countries.

"We conscionable support looking, Scottish grannies are successful large demand," Clarke half-joked erstwhile nan rumor was raised astatine his squad announcement media conference.

"Since we had Craig, David Marshall and Allan McGregor, we haven't rather had nan aforesaid value coming through.

"It's thing we should person picked up connected a fewer years ago. It's astir apt an oversight. We had 3 goalkeepers of specified value each playing astatine nan aforesaid clip and you deliberation 'that will ne'er end'."

Gordon has 81 caps, having made his world debut successful 2004, while Marshall played 47 times and McGregor bowed retired aft 42 appearances.

"We person a harvest of younger ones and you don't cognize really they are going to progress," Clarke said.

"You tin beryllium saying 'we haven't sewage anything' past abruptly immoderate 18, 19, 20-year-olds mightiness get immoderate minutes connected nan transportation and get a chance to play much regularly.

"In March, I said to nan coaches of nan 17s, 19s and 21s to effort and prime 4 goalkeepers, truthful you're looking astatine much and putting them successful against their peers. Then you're looking for nan 1 that tin measurement up and go nan champion successful that property group."

Of goalkeepers pinch caller Scotland Under-21 experience, Hearts' Liam McFarlane and Ruairidh Adams of Dundee United person been busy, each playing 39 games this season, connected indebtedness astatine East Fife and Kelty Hearts respectively.

Rangers' Lewis Budinauckas played 4 matches for Greenock Morton and 8 pinch Partick Thistle earlier losing his spot to 35-year-old David Mitchell.

Murray Johnson of Hibernian sewage 13 games for Airdrieonians and was past constricted to conscionable 1 infinitesimal pinch Queen of nan South successful nan 2nd half of nan term.

"The young ones request to play," Clarke added. "A batch thin to beryllium kept successful squads to beryllium connected nan bench. They are moving pinch bully group and learning bully habits but only successful training.

"Maybe we tin find a measurement to get these young goalkeepers retired to clubs successful League 1, League 2, nan Championship astatine an earlier property wherever they play and do well.

"Obviously, if you're a head and you return a young goalkeeper and he throws a mates into nan net, you're going to put a much knowledgeable goalkeeper backmost in.

"The boys request a chance and, erstwhile they get a chance, they request to return it. If they don't, nan head won't play them."