John Souttar Scotland prediction made as Rangers defender waits to hear if he will get nod v Cyprus
Rangers John Souttar is likely to miss out when Scotland face Cyrpus in their Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday (8 September), Football Scotland writer Blair Meikle has predicted.
Meikle had a go at naming an XI ahead of the Tartan Army trying to make it five wins from five in Group A of their qualifying group in Larnaca.
Grant Hanley is unavailable for the match, but Meikle still thinks Souttar will not get the nod from boss Steve Clarke.
“With Grant Hanley out, it will come down to a choice between (Jack) Hendry, John Souttar and Scott McKenna for that role in between (Ryan) Porteous and Kieran Tierney in the back three,” he wrote for Football Scotland.
“Hendry played the last match and as we know, Clarke doesn’t like to tinker too much.”
Patience is a virtue
It will be a frustration for John Souttar if he is unable to work his way in Steve Clarke’s Scotland plans, but Meikle does make a good point here.
Clarke is unlikely to tinker too much with his line-up if he can help it, especially with Scotland well on their way to qualifying for a first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup.
Jack Hendry – who now plays for Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia – is therefore likely to keep his place and Souttar will have to bide his time and come in when called upon.
But patience is a virtue. Souttar will have to impress for Rangers this season and hope that is enough to eventually work his way into the starting line-up, and just as importantly he will need to do enough to make sure he is on the plane should Scotland see out the job and qualify for the tournament in Germany next summer.
In other Rangers news, Barry Ferguson says Todd Cantwell was right not to be bite back during a public incident.