STEVE CLARKE admits he is ‘disappointed’ at Celtic’s decision to refuse to release any of the club’s Scottish contingent for international duty as the national team manager named his squad for next week’s friendly with Turkey.
The Scots face a trip to Diyarbakir on Wednesday evening in their final fixture of the calendar year but as the match does not take place during an official international break, the cinch Premiership champions are under no obligation to send their players away to join up with their respective nations.
Ange Postecoglou’s team will soon be heading to Australia for the Sydney Super Cup – a friendly tournament announced back in March – and although Clarke insists he is not angry by the limits imposed on his squad selection, he admitted to being disheartened by the Parkhead club’s decision.
“Obviously I’m disappointed that we are not getting the players,” he said. “I’m probably more disappointed for the players than anything else that they don’t get the chance to come away with the national team.
“I know they enjoy coming away with us and some of them have missed out on a selection. But because it’s not an official window Celtic are entitled to do that. So we just have to deal with it.
“I’ve always got standby people in my head. I’ve learned very quickly in this job that you need a big list of standby people.
“I’ve got a list and I will also look at [Scotland Under-21s manager] Scot Gemmill’s squad that he’s got coming together for a game. There are some interesting people in that squad that I’d like to keep an eye on.”
He added: “I’m disappointed the players aren’t coming. I’m not angry, I don’t want to fight anybody and I’m not upset. I’m just disappointed. That’s all you can be and then you just have to move on. I look at the squad and I think it’s quite good.”
