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PRAY TO SQUAD WE CAN FILL IT

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date24 April 2024
Publication titleDaily Record, The / Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland)
European football's governing body had been expected to return to a strict 23-man limit after introducing squads of 26 as an emergency Covid measure

Those three extra places were then carried over to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on but only on the basis that the competition was taking place during the middle of European football's domestic season.

And with the quota anticipated to be cut, Clarke had been bracing himself for some brutally tough decisions before handing out the plane tickets for Germany.

The Scotland boss even joined England counterpart Gareth Southgate in calling for the 26-man squad rule to stay in place.

It's understood, after some heavy lobbying, UEFA's national competitions committee has agreed to back down.

And they will now advise the all-powerful executive committee to rubber stamp the request within the next week. That will come as some welcome news for Clarke after being hit by a string of recent injury blows.

Right-backs Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson are both out of action with neither expected to kick another ball for their clubs before the end of the season.

While Brentford bosses hope Hickey may still be ready for the finals, Everton's Patterson is believed to have next to no chance of making it to Scotland's base camp in the Bavarian town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the foot of the Austrian Alps.

Lewis Ferguson is also out of the running having ruptured a cruciate ligament at Bologna.

Billy Gilmour hasn't played for Brighton since limping out of Scotland's last international against Northern Ireland with a damaged knee.

Southampton's Stuart Armstrong is another major doubt after being crocked at the weekend, with boss Russell Martin confirming the midfielder's English Championship season is over.

Clarke is also waiting for Norwich defender Grant Hanley to get back to full fitness as he assesses the most likely available options, while Ryan Jack is back on the...

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