Scotland head coach Steve Clarke is contemplating “all choices” after dropping “predominant” striker Lyndon Dykes to harm.
Dykes was carried off on a stretcher throughout coaching on Friday and has since been dominated out of Euro 2024 lower than two weeks earlier than Scotland open the event towards hosts Germany on June 14.
The QPR ahead scored 9 objectives in 36 internationals and was usually on the coronary heart of Clarke’s assault.
Failure leaves solely Scotland Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland because the acknowledged centre-forwards of their 27-man squad, which is ready to be decreased to 26 after the ultimate warm-up recreation towards Finland on Friday evening.
Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes performed in most of Scotland’s video games
Talking at a pre-match press convention in Portugal forward of Monday’s pleasant towards Gibraltar, Clarke stated: “I’ve given myself two or three days to consider it.
“There is no such thing as a comparable substitute for Lyndon as a result of he brings his qualities. I do not actually imagine in like for like. Lyndon brings qualities we clearly do not have.
“I am going to have a look round, resolve what to do with the squad, and let’s go.”
Requested if he would name up one other striker, Clarke stated: “That is why I am fascinated by it.”
“Dykes was a key participant”
Dykes performed in all eight of Scotland’s qualifiers, beginning 5 of them and scoring one aim.
“We’re all very dissatisfied in Lyndon,” Clark added. “Guys who’ve been injured earlier than get a little bit bit extra time to recover from it. Lyndon is on the final minute earlier than we go away for the event.
Dykes scored 9 objectives in 36 internationals and was usually on the coronary heart of Scotland’s assault
“And he is been a superb participant for us, a key participant. Among the best telephone conversations I’ve ever had was once I known as him and gave him the chance to return and play for Scotland as a substitute of Australia. Fortuitously, he selected us.
“That was 4 years in the past, and I feel the trail of the nationwide workforce since then has been principally up.
“[I’m] grateful for what he has performed to this point, unhappy to see him miss this event however I stay up for working with him once more sooner or later.
“It was an ankle harm. No contact, simply the way in which he landed, the way in which he fell on it. It occurs, sadly. Lyndon did an identical transfer earlier within the session and nothing occurred. It is simply the way in which it’s.
“You need to be fairly resilient as a coach, supervisor and participant and perceive that issues transfer ahead and that is what we did.”
Steve Clarke named a preliminary squad of 27 gamers
Clarke has beforehand hinted that he might be eyeing the Scotland U21s squad when late calls had been wanted.
It may very well be delivered Tommy Conway in pole place with the Bristol Metropolis ahead in Scott Gemmill’s squad forward of Monday’s pleasant in Turkey. The 21-year-old scored 12 objectives for the Sky Wager Championship facet final season.
Liverpool winger Ben Free performed at centre-forward for Scotland under-21s, however the 18-year-old’s membership marketing campaign was ended by a knee harm in December and he’s nonetheless getting up to the mark.
Clark is contemplating different eventualities as properly.
“Perhaps, however not essentially, I’d try this,” he stated. “It is one thing we take into consideration on a regular basis.
“We take pleasure in coping with the younger workforce in Scotland. I want to present that there’s a path to the A workforce from the U21s.
“However clearly you must have a look at all choices, and that is what I’d do.”
Scott McTominay is not going to play for Scotland towards Gibraltar
in the meantime, Stewart Armstrong, Scott McTominay and John Suttar is not going to function for Scotland on Monday evening.
Manchester United midfielder McTominay got here off simply 25 minutes after approaching instead in final weekend’s FA Cup ultimate win over Manchester Metropolis.
Southampton’s Armstrong has not performed since being recalled final month, whereas centre-back Soutar has missed Rangers’ final three video games of the season.
Boss Clarke stated: “Stuart Armstrong, Scott McTominay and John Soutar will not play this recreation however I am certain they’re going to all be good for the subsequent recreation.
“For me it is a possibility to get some minutes on the pitch for some gamers, perhaps a little bit of an unfamiliar squad when it comes to folks beginning the sport.
“We nonetheless have one or two folks getting back from a long-term harm, so we’re cautious about managing minutes.
“It’s kind of of a balancing act to ensure we get a superb recreation and a superb outcome.
“A few of them perhaps did not get the minutes they wished till the top of the membership season, so hopefully we can provide them minutes that may get them up to the mark earlier than the event itself.”
Greg Taylor and Scott McKenna joined the workforce after further relaxation.
Scotland warm-up matches
Monday June 3: Gibraltar v Scotland
June 7, Friday: Scotland v Finland
Euro 2024 group stage matches in Scotland
Friday, June 14 – Group A: Germany v Scotland (Allianz Area, Munich)
Wednesday, June 19 – Group A: Scotland v Switzerland (RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne)
Sunday, June 23 – Group A: Scotland v Hungary (MHPArena, Stuttgart)
The highest two groups in every group plus the highest 4 third-placed groups advance