Rangers goalkeeper Robby McCrorie has been warned by Scotland national team manager Steve Clarke that a Euro 2024 call-up could hinge on an Ibrox exit.
Robby McCrorie, 25, has been recalled to the Scotland squad despite not playing a game for Rangers this season and the situation has caught the attention of Steve Clarke.
Speaking ahead of the Scotland national team’s final two European Championship qualifying matches against Georgia (A) and Norway (H), Clarke claims the stopper’s future Scotland hopes hinge on getting more first-team exposure.
“I have brought Robbie McCrorie in again,” said Clarke. “I keep saying that Robbie is one we have an eye on for the future, but he needs to play matches.
“He is not doing that just now. I still think that, the age he is, he can be one for the future. Hopefully he starts to get a few more games.”
Later pressed on what that specifically means for Robby McCrorie, and whether the young goalkeeper should quit Rangers (at least on loan), it’s a move Steve Clarke endorses.
As things stand Robby McCrorie is going to find it very difficult to budge form goalkeeper Jack Butland, who is very much the Rangers number one as things stand.
Whilst the gracious Butland has sympathised having been in McCrorie’s situation, the young stopper’s Scotland hopes really appear to hinge on a move out of Rangers.
“I have already spoken to Robby a couple of times,” said Clarke. “But it’s a difficult one for me to get involved in because his club decides if he plays week in, week out, or whether he goes on loan.
“For me, Robby is a good technical goalkeeper. He has good hands and good feet. He saves the ball, which is pretty important for a goalkeeper.
“If he can get some games at Rangers, then great. If Rangers decide to let him go on loan, that would also be great. But that is a decision for the club to make.”
Robby McCrorie faces Rangers Scotland dilemma
Robby McCrorie’s most recent Scotland call comes with current Hampden number one Angus Gunn being ruled out with injury.
The back-up Rangers stopper will now compete with Hearts’ Zander Clark and Motherwell’s Liam Kelly for the number one jersey in the upcoming qualifiers.
Regarded as one of the brightest goalkeeper talents in Scottish football and even linked to Manchester United in the summer, Robby McCrorie is getting to that stage where he really needs to be playing regularly to progress.
Rangers have always had high hopes for the young stopper but there is a now a suggestion that a lack of first-team exposure is actually hurting his career.
Whilst Robby McCrorie has never been capped by the Scotland first team, the Rangers academy goalkeeper has made six appearances at Ibrox and spent loan stints out at Berwick Rangers, Greenock Morton, Queen of the South and Livingston.
As the Rangers stopper is called up into the Scotland squad, another Rangers first-teamer has been dropped by Steve Clarke.
