Kris Commons fears that Craig Gordon’s absence has seen Scotland 's biggest strength turn into their greatest weakness.
While the Hearts keeper’s rehab following a double leg break on Christmas Eve against Dundee United is going well, he will miss the rest of the season and therefore his country’s big kick-off to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. Cyprus visit Hampden on Saturday before Spain come calling next midweek.
With Allan McGregor and David Marshall having retired from international football, there will be a new face between the sticks for Scotland for the first time in a long time. Gordon ’s Tynecastle understudy Zander Clark is in, along with Motherwell's Liam Kelly and Angus Gunn of Norwich City, who has switched allegiance from England to follow in dad Bryan;s footsteps. Gordon will a tough act to follow for any of the trio, but Commons fears that it’s going to be a problem position for Clarke in the long-term after so long of having no worries between the sticks.
He wrote in his Daily Mail column: “From feast to famine, Scotland have gone from having an abundance of top class goalkeepers to wondering who the next No 1 might be. It’s a new issue for Steve Clarke to contend with ahead of the Euro2024 qualifiers, which get underway against Cyprus at Hampden on Saturday.
“Indeed, this is the first time in a generation that any Scotland manager has had problems in the goalkeeping department. When Clarke took the job in 2019, David Marshall was still at the peak of his powers. He was the man in possession of the jersey.
“Marshall’s penalty shoot-out heroics against Serbia in Belgrade have forever secured his status as a Tartan Army legend. I just wonder if Clarke might have been tempted to try and coax Marshall out of international retirement for the double heart against Cyprus and Spain.
“But it’s Zander Clark, Liam Kelly and Angus Gunn who have instead been selected. An uncapped trio in a vitally important position. They are all decent keepers in their own right but none of them have top level experience with their clubs or with Scotland.
“Whatever one of them gets the nods, they will have to fill the boots - or gloves - of one of Scotland’s all-time greats. Craig Gordon has been an absolute hero for Scotland over the years and it can only be hoped that he makes a successful recovery from the horrendous leg break he suffered at the turn of the year.
“This is part of the problem for Clarke. Scotland have had such an embarrassment of riches in that position that the cupboard now looks bare. Marshall initially became the preferred choice under Clarke when took the job, until he lost his position at Derby County at club level and started to fall out of favour. Yet in Gordon, Clarke had yet another world class option to call upon.
“Nobody would ever view going from Marshall to Gordon as a downgrade in any way. Given that Allan McGregor had also recently departed the scene a few years previously, it had been a stellar cast list.
“For the best part of a generation, goalkeeper had arguably been Scotland’s strongest position in terms of strength in depth. That is not the case any more.
“In terms of the next generation breaking through, I would have to say it;s probably the weakest area of our squad. Even accounting for Gordon’s superhuman powers of recovery, Clarke must face the fact that the Hearts star’s time in a Scotland jersey is now coming to an end.
“Gordon has already proven himself as one of the country’s all-time greats, with 74 caps and a highlights reel that would rival even the very best keepers in Europe. But someone else has to step up and make the position their own now. Even is Gordon does fight his way back to full fitness next season, he’s not going to be a long-term option given his age.
“He’s 40 years old. The time has surely come for someone else to step up and prove they are capable of taking the gloves from one of our all-time greats.
“At club level with Hearts, it’s been Clark who has filled the void in Gordon’s absence. I don’t think he would let anybody down. He has been in Scotland squads in the past and has been unlucky not to see more action when he was excelling with St Johnstone’s double cup winners a couple of years ago.
“Yet that was largely down to who was ahead of him. He was never going to displace the likes of Gordon or Marshall.
“Kelly has long been touted as a future Scotland No 1 since he was coming through the ranks as a youngster at Rangers. Gunn meanwhile, has been playing in a Norwich side who are fighting for playoff spots in the Championship. So while they are all solid enough operators, I just don’t see them as being in the same bracket as Gordon.
“That’s got to be a concern for Clarke. Especially going up against the likes of Spain, you know you’re going to need a top drawer performance from your keeper.”
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