The 10 Scotland squad winners and losers - from Rangers key man to Celtic starlet

Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has made a handful of changes to his latest squad for the upcoming Nations League double header with North Macedonia and Switzerland.

The Belgian has named only one new call-up for the final two fixtures of League B1 later this month. Rangers defender James Penrice is included in the senior set-up for the first time, while Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay and Torino striker Che Adams return to the fold.

Pocognoli faces a significant early challenge in his Hampden reign as he looks to recover from consecutive home defeats. The Scots will need to collect at least four points from their home clash with bottom side North Macedonia and their trip to group leaders Switzerland to keep their hopes of finishing in the top two alive.

However, even that may not be enough. Scotland must also rely on Slovenia dropping points in both of their remaining matches against the same opponents if they are to secure a place in the promotion play-offs.

There is also the threat of a far worse outcome. A defeat to North Macedonia in Mount Florida would leave Pocognoli’s side facing the very real possibility of finishing last in the four-team section and dropping into League C.

Here, we take a look at the winners and losers from Pocognoli’s second squad:

Scott McTominay - WINNER

The Napoli midfielder was the most notable absentee from Pocognoli’s first squad selection, but he has now been recalled after making immediate impact since returning from minor heart surgery, scoring braces in each of his first two appearances back for the Italian side.

Scott McTominay was the major miss from Sebastien Pocognoli's first Scotland squad selection after undergoing heart surgery | Getty Images

Josh Doig - LOSER

The former Hibs full-back’s hopes of forcing his way into contention and building on his two-cap tally were dealt a blow over the weekend after Sassuolo were hammered 6-2 at home by Lazio. His performance in that heavy defeat on his return to the starting XI wasn’t enough to convince Pocognoli he should be included on this occasion.

James Penrice - WINNER

The Rangers defender is rewarded with his maiden call-up to the senior squad after displaying an excellent level of consistency for his club. His ability to operate in multiple positions could make him a useful option for Pocognoli, particularly after being deployed in midfield on several occasions under club manager Derek McInnes.

Scott McKenna - LOSER

The experienced centre-back misses out after picking up a back strain that has prevented him from featuring in Dinamo Zagreb’s last two fixtures. The Croatian club confirmed that the defender is expected to be sidelined for a further fortnight.

Che Adams - WINNER

The Torino striker is back in the squad after returning to full fitness from a muscle injury. He strengthened his case for inclusion with two goals in his last four appearances for the Serie A club.

Kenny McLean - LOSER

Norwich City midfielder Kenny McLean has struggled with fitness issues this season | Getty Images

Fitness issues prevent the Norwich City midfielder from being named in this squad. He has managed just 45 minutes of substitute action since withdrawing from the previous due to an injury. The 34-year-old was absent again for the weekend victory over Watford.

Kristi Montgomery - WINNER

The uncapped Blackburn Rovers midfielder was a surprise inclusion in the previous squad, and has done enough to keep his place as he continues to feature regularly in the starting line-up for the EFL Championship side.

Colby Donovan - LOSER

The Celtic right-back drops out of the senior squad amid the club’s recent domestic and European struggles, despite his impressive form for Martin O’Neill’s side this season. Likely to be named in the under-21 squad.

Findlay Curtis - WINNER

The winger has made some impactful cameos for Rangers since his involvement in Pocognoli’s first squad. He was temporarily moved back to the under-21s following a training camp in La Manga but was subsequently recalled to the senior set-up and named among the substitutes for last month's meeting with Slovenia at Hampden. His recent substitute performances have done enough to catch the new head coach's attention.

Lennon Miller - LOSER

Ex-Motherwell midfielder was handed a rare starting opportunity on Saturday but endured a difficult afternoon as Udinese suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat at home to Roma, extending their winless run to eight matches. Left out as a result.

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