Gordon Strachan tells Celtic new boys to prove themselves worthy of Scotland call-up

SCOTLAND boss Gordon Strachan has challenged Celtic new boys Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven to prove they are better than his tried and trusted midfield stars.

Gordon StrachanWILLE VASS

Gordon Strachan wants Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven to prove themselves

Both are down the pecking order because he has five regulars – skipper Scott Brown, Darren Fletcher, James McArthur, James Morrison and Charlie Mulgrew – who will take some shifting.

Mulgrew is recovering from a torn hamstring tendon and the Northern Ireland friendly on March 25 and the Euro 2016 qualifier with Gibraltar four days later may come too early for him, but the others are certainties.

Strachan said: “If you’re a central midfielder, it’s very hard. 

“Charlie was magnificent against Ireland. Scott’s always great. James McArthur is starring for Crystal Palace. Darren’s been terrific, and so has James Morrison.

“Those five have been first-class over the last two years so you have to be better than them. 

“Armstrong and Mackay-Steven have played three or four games for Celtic, and you have to remember that in September both of them were left out of the Dundee United first team. 

“So just because they’ve pitched up at Celtic doesn’t make them superstars, but by the same token those two lads have been in the squad before. It’s hard to pick young lads when they aren’t playing for their first teams.

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“But it’s great to see over the last few weeks that they’re playing in front of 60,000 people. That’s great for their education.

“Charlie, through playing Champions League football, has come on leaps and bounds.

“Some clubs can’t give you that, no matter how good they are or how good the coaching is. It’s invaluable when they come to play in the national side.”

Strachan and his backroom staff have been monitoring possible squad members, but indicated there will be no major surprises in upcoming squads.

He said: “There’s nothing worse than coming along and not getting stripped. It’s a body blow. I don’t know how you keep asking people to do that.

“They don’t get paid, they’re away from their family for 10 days and just want to play.

“So I have to look and ask if I’m being fair to everyone. It’s horrible, travelling everywhere and never getting a strip on.

“You don’t know how heart-breaking it can be at that level to train hard, play hard and then not be stripped. At least with a strip you feel part of it.

“I understand exactly how they feel and I have to have a look at one or two of these guys.”

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