McBurnie & seven uncapped names in Scotland squad

Hull City forward Oli McBurnie has been called up to the Scotland squad for the first time in five years while uncapped Luis Binks, Colby Donovan, Jon McCracken, Josh McPake and Stephen Welsh also makes new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli's first selection. As expected, Stoke defender Luke Graham and Sevilla striker Robbie Ure receive their first senior call-ups. Scott Bain, Kieron Bowie, Josh Doig, Lennon Miller and James Wilson are recalled but Che Adams misses out. McBurnie, 30, first featured for his country in 2018 and won the last of his 16 caps in 2021. He has never scored for Scotland but did net one of the penalties in the shootout that sealed a place at the delayed Euro 2020 finals. Brondby's Binks, 25, has previously played age grade football for England and Scotland while fellow defender Donovan, 20, has come to prominence filling in for injured Canada right-back Alistair Johnston in Celtic's side this season. Like McBurnie, he has been capped at under-19 and under-21 level. Graham was part of Scotland's pre-World Cup training camp in May after a breakthrough campaign with Dundee, winning the Scottish Premiership club's players' player and young player of the year awards. The 22-year-old was an unused substitute in the country's send-off friendly win against Curacao, which was also Steve Clarke's last game in the dugout at Hampden Park. The defender, who has three caps at under-21 level, has started strongly for The Potters in the Championship, who are unbeaten in their past four games, with Graham an ever-present. Four-times capped Falkirk goalkeeper Bain, 34, and Bradford City keeper Jon McCracken, 26, were in squads named by Pocognoli's predecessor Clarke. Pocognoli's compatriot, Heart of Midlothian head coach Wouter Vrancken, was "confident" there would be a few players from the Tynecastle club included and winger McPake, 25, and 19-year-old attacking club-mate James Wilson, who has two caps, are recognised for their early-season performances. However, Hearts winger Calvin Miller misses out. Swansea City defender Stephen Welsh, 26, may win his first cap while Sassuolo forward Bowie, 23, and left-back Doig, 24, as well as Udinese midfielder Miller, 20, make the cut. Former Rangers academy product Ure was in demand across Europe after a free-scoring spell - 20 goals and three assists in 20 matches - that took Sirius to the top of the table in Sweden and it resulted in a £5.5m summer transfer to La Liga with Sevilla. Ure, 22, has yet to find the target in Spain, but given his eligibility for Ukraine, the new head coach appears tempted to tie him down as soon as possible. The inclusion of Bowie, McBurnie, Ure and Wilson come as reports indicate Torino's Adams is injured while Rangers forward Lawrence Shankland is out for up to four months with a hamstring injury. Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, 29, is unavailable, having recently had minor heart surgery. Of the 28 named in this squad, 14 were part of this summer's World Cup. Goalkeepers Angus Gunn and Liam Kelly, defenders Jack Hendry, Aaron Hickey, Scott McKenna, Nathan Patterson, Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney, midfielders Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, John McGinn and Kenny McLean and forwards Findlay Curtis and Ben Gannon-Doak are all retained. Goalkeeper Craig Gordon has retired while Grant Hanley has recently returned to fitness at Hibernian while Rangers defender John Souttar has not played this season amid reports linking him with Aris Thessaloniki. Defenders Dominic Hyam and Anthony Ralston, midfielder Tyler Fletcher and forwards Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst and Ross Stewart miss out. Since Pocognoli was announced as Clarke's successor - the former Kilmarnock manager having resigned after the Scots failed to qualify for the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time - the expectation was that the Belgian would look to freshen up an ageing squad. Pocognoli will take charge of Scotland for the first time on Saturday, 26 September in the Scots' Nations League B opener against Slovenia and his debut in the Hampden dugout will be three days later against Switzerland. A trip to face North Macedonia on 3 October follows before a home tie with Slovenia three days afterwards. More to follow.