Scotland caretaker-manager Billy Stark’s hopes of giving the country’s football followers a much-needed boost have been dealt a blow by a host of withdrawals from his squad to face Luxembourg on Wednesday.
The Scots are due to face the minnows in a friendly at the Stade Josy Barthel in their first match since manager Craig Levein was sacked last week after their hopes of qualifying for their first major tournament in 14 years were left in tatters.
Former Scotland international Levein, paid for a poor run of results that saw him record just three wins from 12 competitive matches at the helm of the national side.
The SFA board fired the former Dundee United and Hearts boss following a defeat against Belgium last month that left Scotland bottom of their World Cup qualifying group with just two points from their opening four matches and all but ended their chances of appearing at the 2014 finals in Brazil.
It was just the latest blow to the game in Scotland which has had a lot to contend with in 2012.
Glasgow giants Rangers were liquidated following a period in administration and now the relaunched club languish in the country’s Third Division as they rebuild from the bottom tier.
The same fate could await Scottish Cup holders Hearts, where financial problems and a tax demand for almost £450,000 has put the club under serious threat.
Celtic’s performances in the Champions League has been one of the year’s only bright spots and defeat for the national team against minnows Luxembourg would be a further setback for the game.
Under-21 coach Stark, is the man charged with leading the country while the hunt for a new manager continues but the team he sends out on Wednesday will have an experimental look about it after the squad was decimated by nine withdrawals.
Goalkeeper David Marshall, defender Phil Bardsley, midfielders James Morrison, Shaun Maloney, Charlie Adam, Matt Phillips, Barry Bannan as well as strikers Steven Fletcher and Jamie Mackie have all pulled out.
However, Stark has used this opportunity to draft in several uncapped players.
Inverness midfielder Andrew Shinnie, Hibernian striker and SPL top-scorer Leigh Griffiths and Kilmarnock midfielder Liam Kelly have been called up for the first time while Huddersfield left-back Paul Dixon and St Mirren goalkeeper Craig Samson return to the squad.
Hearts utility man Darren Barr, who has one cap, and uncapped St Johnstone midfielder Murray Davidson have also been called up.
“Obviously at this stage of the season, with players playing weekend and midweek, niggles and strains and withdrawals are to be expected,” the caretaker manager said.
“This match gives us an opportunity to look at players who maybe have not had experience of the international set-up but who have been in tremendous form at their clubs.
“I want the focus to be on football. We’d all love a magical formula to make people feel better. That’s going to be a longer process.
“For the players it can start on Wednesday, hopefully. I know we’re not going to say everything is great if it’s a positive result but it’s the only incremental step that we look to at the moment.
“You look at the game and what’s expected and, in this instance, the expectation would be that we should always beat Luxembourg but you have to be careful and make the people who aren’t involved in football realise how difficult it can be.
“For starters, you need to get goals to win and the other side will be desperately trying to stop us scoring. Whether that’s Luxembourg or Belgium, that’s a hurdle that still needs to be overcome.
“Luxembourg will try to frustrate us, work really hard and have a good spirit about them so there are a lot of things we need to overcome, not least our own circumstances, with the game coming so soon after Craig (Levein) leaving.”
Depleated Scotland squad on trip to Luxembourg
