There are two Rangers representatives in Steve Clarke’s latest Scotland squad ahead of this month’s UEFA Nations League play-off against Greece.
One not particularly surprising name, and one a little more unexpected.
John Souttar has started all of Scotland’s last four games, and will surely be part of Steve Clarke’s XI again during the March international break. After recovering from injury, Souttar was back to his imperious best as Rangers cruised past Fenerbahce to move one giant step closer to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
But, as Clarke himself admits, Liam Kelly does not exactly go into those Greece clashes in an ideal shape.
The goalkeeper has played only six times since returning to Rangers on a free transfer from Motherwell last summer.
Sections of the Rangers support are urging Barry Ferguson to recall Liam Kelly on the back of some desperate Jack Butland blunders. The latter appears to retain Ferguson’s faith, however, following up that Motherwell debacle with a superb display in Istanbul.
Kelly’s one and only Scotland outing, meanwhile, came against France two years ago.
Thanks to an injury to Norwich City’s Angus Gunn, however, Kelly is likely to be promoted up to second-choice in Clarke’s roster for the time being.
Steve Clarke explains Liam Kelly inclusion with Rangers goalkeeper in Scotland squad
Should the now-42-year-old Craig Gordon suffer a twinge or a knock of his own in the pre-match training camp, Kelly will be the man entrusted to start between the sticks in the first-leg of that play-off tie on March 20th.
Clarke, in an ideal world, would prefer to have Kelly playing every week. Like he did at Motherwell.
On the upside, the Glasgow-born 29-year-old was pretty impressive during Butland’s spell out of the team a couple of months ago. Philippe Clement singled Kelly out for praise after Rangers hammered Celtic 3-0 in January.
While he had little to do up against a strangely toothless Hoops side, Kelly was a vocal, commanding presence in the home penalty area.
“Angus Gunn is injured again, he has tweaked his hamstring,” Clarke explained during his press conference on Tuesday.
“He is going to be out for two or three weeks. Looking at the back-up goalkeepers to Craig, the choice wasn’t great if I’m being honest because most of them don’t play for their clubs.
“But Liam [Kelly] has had some recent football at Rangers when Jack Butland was out injured and I thought he did very well. So, he deserves his place back in the squad.”
Kelly is helping Rydnn McGuire settle in Rangers’ first-team
Kelly is, to put it simply, one of those players managers tend to like having around. He captained Motherwell, after all. As such, he should prove to be a useful mentor for the uncapped 22-year-old Cieren Slicker.
Ipswich Town youngster Slicker has accumulated 17 caps for Scotland’s Under-23 side and has now been called up for the seniors for the first time.
Rangers’ teenage shot-stopper Rdynn McGuire could not speak highly enough of Liam Kelly, meanwhile, when discussing his recent sojourns into first-team training at Auchenhowie.
“He’s the man you go to when you’re a young boy. He really helps you settle in,” McGuire said after keeping a clean sheet during Rangers B’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Monday.
“And Jack [Butland] just takes you under his wing. He made me feel welcome straight away and I appreciate that.
“[When you’re training with the first-team] you’ve just got to hold your standards. You’re there for a reason. You’re clearly good enough, so you just feed off what the older boys do. One day, I hope that will be me.
“You learn so much just from being there.”
