Former Hibs and Rangers striker Jason Cummings has been branded as "minging" by Australian legend Zeljko Kalac after making his World Cup debut.
It's been a major turnaround in the Scot's career trajectory having been released by Scottish Premiership strugglers Dundee less than a year ago to facing off against France in the World Cup with Australia. Cummings made the 26-man squad due to his stirring form with Central Coast Mariners in the A-League, but failed to show that form against Kylian Mbappe and co in the opening Group D game in Qatar.
He replaced Mitchell Duke with 56 minutes gone and France leading 2-1, but failed to make any impact on the game with current world champions moving through the gears in the Middle East to run out 4-1 winners. After the game, former goalkeeper Kalac singled out the 27-year-old for criticism. He told Australian outlet Club Neds : "He was minging, he was absolutely minging.
"Bets should have been on if he was going to touch the ball more than three times. He was non-existent. We basically played with 10 men when he came on."
Former Hibs striker Jamie Maclaren remained on the bench as boss Graham Arnold turned to Cummings despite the Melbourne City frontman netting more than the Scot in the A-League. Kalac insisted the boss had made the wrong choice against the world champions.
When asked why he didn't go for Maclaren, the former AC Milan shot-stopper said: "Because he didn't play for Central Coast Mariners. Managers live and die by their decisions.
"If you are looking for a goal, okay you haven't started with Maclaren, fair enough. But if you are making a sub, you are losing 2-1 and you don't bring on an absolute goalscorer. I just don't get it."
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