The news that James Forrest has withdrawn from the Scotland squad is surprising only because it appears he is injured.
I recently wrote about Reo Hatate and the challenges faced by our two Japanese players in terms of their international prospects. However, what frustrates me more is what has happened to our winger and the state of the Scottish national team.
I’ve already shared my views on Steve Clarke, and I believe he should have been sacked after the Euros. One of his worst decisions during that tournament was playing a negative, cautious style of football when he should have gone on the offensive.
Yet, James Forrest didn’t play a single minute of competitive football during that competition. Despite being in the squad, he was never utilised, and Clarke continues to pick him without ever giving him game time. When I heard Forrest had pulled out of the team, I initially thought he was just fed up with this treatment.
I don’t understand Clarke’s blind spot when it comes to Forrest, but I know it’s holding Scotland back. Forrest’s absence over the last few years has contributed to the national side’s struggles.
I can’t comprehend why Clarke keeps selecting a player he has no intention of using.
If I were in Forrest’s shoes, with everything going on at Celtic and my career nearing its end, I would likely make a similar decision to Callum McGregor, who stepped back from international football to focus on his club.
James clearly wants to represent his country.
I fully understand and sympathise with that. He cares about Scotland and has served the team with distinction. He would never have turned down the chance to play in the Euros because he knew it might be his last opportunity to appear in a major tournament. He’s entitled to feel aggrieved that Clarke denied him that chance to make an impact.
While Forrest isn’t starting every game for Celtic at the moment, he still knows how to influence a match, and I would pick him for the Scotland team any day of the week—just not in this Scotland side with its bizarre tactics and lack of width.
Clarke’s rigid, uninspired football means Forrest’s chances of starting again for Scotland are slim as long as Clarke remains in charge. Until the SFA finally grows a backbone and makes a decision on Clarke, Forrest is stuck. He’ll be selected, but he won’t play.
At Celtic, Forrest is struggling to break into the team because Kuhn is in top form, and there’s no reason to drop him. In the national side, though, Forrest isn’t being left out because there’s someone better ahead of him—it’s because Clarke persists with a system that doesn’t utilise wide players, except in desperate circumstances.
Even when Clarke did use width during the Euros, he didn’t bring on the best winger in the country, opting instead for players like Lewis Morgan.
As I’ve mentioned in other pieces, I love seeing our players represent their national teams, and I’m almost always proud when they do.
While Forrest isn’t starting every game for Celtic at the moment, he still knows how to influence a match, and I would pick him for the Scotland team any day of the week—just not in this Scotland side with its bizarre tactics and lack of width.
Clarke’s rigid, uninspired football means Forrest’s chances of starting again for Scotland are slim as long as Clarke remains in charge. Until the SFA finally grows a backbone and makes a decision on Clarke, Forrest is stuck. He’ll be selected, but he won’t play.
At Celtic, Forrest is struggling to break into the team because Kuhn is in top form, and there’s no reason to drop him. In the national side, though, Forrest isn’t being left out because there’s someone better ahead of him—it’s because Clarke persists with a system that doesn’t utilise wide players, except in desperate circumstances.
Even when Clarke did use width during the Euros, he didn’t bring on the best winger in the country, opting instead for players like Lewis Morgan.
As I’ve mentioned in other pieces, I love seeing our players represent their national teams, and I’m almost always proud when they do.
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