Fri. Nov 22nd, 2024
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Grant Hanley in a Scotland shirt
Hanley has been a regular for Scotland under Steve Clarke and featured at Euro 2020

Norwich City defender Grant Hanley has pulled out of Scotland’s squad for the friendlies against the Netherlands and Northern Ireland.

The 32-year-old was recalled after a long lay-off with an Achilles injury.

Hanley returned to Steve Clarke’s squad after playing eight times for the Canaries this year.

Scott McKenna, Jack Hendry, Liam Cooper, Ryan Porteous and John Souttar are the other centre-backs in the squad for the games on 22 and 26 March.

Kieran Tierney is also often used as the left-sides centre-back in Clarke’s preferred 3-5-2 formation and no replacement for Hanley has been called up.

“He’s a steady, experienced player. He’s good in the squad. He’s a player that I call a man. He’s a man, and you know what you’re going to get from Grant game by game,” Clarke told the Scottish FA website when he announced his squad.

“He had a very long-term injury that he has worked so hard to recover from. He’s playing pretty regularly back at his club, Norwich, and it will be nice to see him again.”

Scotland squad

Goalkeepers: Zander Clark, Craig Gordon (both Hearts), Angus Gunn (Norwich), Liam Kelly (Motherwell)

Defenders: Liam Cooper (Leeds), Jack Hendry (Al-Ettifaq), Scott McKenna (Copenhagen), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Ryan Porteous (Watford), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), Greg Taylor (Celtic), Kieran Tierney (Real Sociedad)

Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Brighton), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Manchester United)

Forwards: Che Adams (Southampton), Lyndon Dykes (QPR), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts)

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