Allan McGregor’s return to international football has been delayed because of an injury picked up during an incident in Glasgow on Saturday.
The Rangers goalkeeper had been named in Craig Levein’s first squad as manager, but he has now withdrawn and will play no part in the friendly against Czech Republic next week.
The timing of the injury couldn’t have been worse for the 28-year-old as he was set to make his first international appearance since being dropped last April for disciplinary reasons.
Speaking about McGregor’s set back, Levein said he received a phone call from Rangers boss Walter Smith “explaining what had happened” and that the player was a doubt for his club’s game next weekend.
Although McGregor’s absence is unlikely to damage Ranger’s SPL chances, it could hit his hopes of making an international comeback.
Looking ahead, Levein said that “once this game is out of the way” McGregor “will be considered” for the next match. This is progress for the keeper, especially when you consider that Barry Ferguson – who was axed at the same time as McGregor – was not considered for selection this time around.
Elsewhere in the Scotland squad, Rangers duo Kris Boyd and Lee McCulloch have both been recalled, while midfielder Stephen McManus and striker Ross McCormack have been dropped.
Referring to how he felt about his first squad as manager, Levein added that he is “pleased everybody seems positive about the future” and that there are potentially “hundreds” of players out there who can help improve the team’s chances of success.
McGregor will clearly be one of them in time as he looks to rebuild his Scotland career, but he is being forced to sit it out this time around.
The friendly with the Czech Republic will be a dress rehearsal for the sides’ Euro 2012 qualifying games.
However, Scotland’s Euro 2012 odds suggest they will struggle to make it out of a group which also contains Spain, Lithuania and Lichtenstein.
