Scotland squad rocked by two withdrawals as former Celtic star returns from international exile

The Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder returns from international exile after missing out on the last two squads named by Scotland head coach Steve Clarke. Armstrong, 32, found himself without a club after the tournament in Germany following after his summer departure from Southampton before eventually joining fellow Scotland international Ryan Gauld at Vancouver in early September. The former Celtic midfielder has since made 11 appearances for the MLS side, scoring two goals and contributing two assists, and will now be given the chance to add to his 51 caps.

His last international appearance came in the 1-0 defeat to Hungary in the final group match of Euro 2024 where he was controversially denied a penalty kick as Scotland once again failed to reach the knock-out stages of a major finals to great disappointment.

Armstrong’s belated call-up follows the withdrawals of Che Adams and Lewis Morgan. Adams was named in the Scotland squad last week despite picking up a thigh injury while playing for Torino during a 1-0 home defeat to Fiorentina the previous weekend. The striker lasted just 17 minutes of the Serie A match before being forced off the pitch and subsequently missed the 2-0 defeat to Juventus in the Turin derby on Saturday past. It has now been confirmed that the 28-year-old will not joining up with his Scotland team-mates this week, leaving Tommy Conway, Lyndon Dykes and Lawrence Shankland to vie for the centre-forward role for Friday’s Hampden clash with Croatia.

Morgan, who was named the 2024 MLS Comeback Player of the Year last week after a stunning season with New York Red Bulls where he contributed 13 goals and seven assists in 29 matches, has also dropped out of the squad. The 28-year-old forward returned to the Scotland national team after a six-year absence at Euro 2024 and retained his place for the last two Nations League camps, making three substitute appearances in those four matches, but he will play no part in the remaining two fixtures at home to Croatia and away to Poland.

Scotland host Luka Modric and co at Hampden on Friday, November 15 before travelling to Warsaw on Monday, November 18, with Clarke’s men needing to win at least one of the two games to avoid relegation back to Nations League B.