Scotland manager Steve Clarke has named five uncapped players in his first squad as boss – with two from former club Kilmarnock getting their maiden call-ups.
Killie striker Eamonn Brophy and defender Greg Taylor join club-mate Stuart Findlay, who was in Alex McLeish’s last squad as head coach, Livingston goalkeeper Liam Kelly and Aberdeen defender Mikey Devlin as the uncapped men in Clarke’s 27-strong pool.
With Scotland struggling for options at the top end of the pitch, 23-year-old Brophy could get some game time as the Scots face Cyprus at Hampden on June 8 and travel to Belgium on June 11 for Euro 2020 qualifiers.
Scotland suffered an embarrassing start to their campaign, losing 3-0 to Kazakhstan in Astana followed by an unconvincing 2-0 win in San Marino.
That led to the sacking of McLeish, with ex-Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke taking the reins after a successful season where he led the Ayrshire club to a third-place Premiership finish.
He has been tasked with turning the fortunes of the national team around and has defended the selections of Brophy, Findlay, Taylor and Killie right-back Stephen O’Donnell.
The 55-year-old said: “Stephen O’Donnell is an established player at right-back, seven caps. Stuart Findlay was in the last squad that Alex picked. Stuart has had a great season.
“We have one or two injury problems in the left-back position, Andy Robertson has still to get through the Champions League Final, Kieran Tierney is out, Barry Douglas, who I spoke to, is also injured. So it was just a case of promoting Greg up from the very good performances he has had for Scotland U/21s. He had a terrific season, probably the most consistent left-back in the SPFL, so he deserves his chance.
“Up front I have a lot of injury problems and Eamonn Brophy was an obvious choice for me.”
The full squad is as follows: Bain (Celtic), Kelly (Livingston), Marshall (Hull), McLaughlin (Sunderland); Devlin (Aberdeen), Findlay (Kilmarnock), McKenna (Aberdeen), Mulgrew (Blackburn), O’Donnell (Kilmarnock), Palmer (Sheff Wed), Robertson (Liverpool), Souttar (Hearts), Taylor (Kilmarnock); Armstrong (Southampton), Cairney (Fulham), McGinn (Aston Villa), McGregor (Celtic), McLean (Norwich), McTominay (Man U), Shinnie (Aberdeen); Brophy (Kilmarnock), Burke (Celtic), Forrest (Celtic), Fraser (Bournemouth) McNulty (Hibs), Morgan (Sunderland), and Russell (Sporting Kansas City).
