Steve Clarke insists Billy Gilmour is ready to roar for Scotland after finally seeing the back of a miserable club campaign.
The 20-year-old missed the final Premier League clash of the season with an ankle knock as Norwich went down 5-0 to Spurs to put the tin hat on a horrendous campaign.
Gilmour’s loan spell from Chelsea turned sour but he has been a regular star for the national side and is set for a key role in next week’s World Cup play-off showdown with Ukraine.
Clarke insisted there’s no need to put an arm around the playmaker as he said: “Not from me. Not from the Tartan Army. He has done well for us. He enjoys coming away to the camp, he enjoys the way we play and the way we utilise him in the team.
“The club business is all part of the learning process for Billy. He has to learn football is not always sunshine and roses. You have difficult moments.
“If he’s had a tough season, he will be all the better for it next season.”
Clarke is content with his 28 man squad but he revealed Ryan Fraser isn’t fit enough to end his international exile after the Scotland boss stuck with the stars who have got the nation in the frame for Qatar.
The Newcastle United ace irked the national boss when he withdrew from crucial World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Denmark last November – and was then pictured training with the Magpies.
There had been suggestions Clarke’s stance had thawed but the attacker hasn’t made the cut for the clash with Ukraine or the Nations League ties with Republic of Irelan and Armenia.
Clarke said: “Yes, he’s injured. I said in March his performances for Newcastle would dictate whether was back in contention and I think he’s played about six minutes last week, when he came off the bench after his injury.
“So that probably answers that one.”
Clarke admitted Rangers Scottish Cup her Scott Wright is banging on the door but he’s stuck by his inform players who have set up the World Cup showdown.
When asked about Wright, he said: “Yeah. There are more boys in your thoughts who you don’t pick. You eventually have to pick a squad.
“I brought Ross Stewart into the last squad as a forward, had a good look at him and it would have been unfair only to pick him for one camp.
“He scored for Sunderland at Wembley on Saturday, so he will turn up in a good place. He’s got a better understanding now of what we want from our forwards.
“Scott has got into the Rangers team and done well this season but I don’t think it was a squad to experiment too much.”
Clarke has named 28 players for potentially five matches – but he is content he doesn’t need any more.
“There is no point, really. It’s too difficult. That’s why the squad is 24 outfield players and four goalkeepers.”
