Celtic-bound star could be set for his first Scotland cap as Steve Clarke eyes late call up for Liechtenstein clash
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STEVE CLARKE will turn to exiting Aberdeen goalkeeper Ryan Doohan to answer Scotland's goalkeeping SOS.
Head coach Clarke's been left with an alarming gloves situation following rookie Cieran Slicker's blundering display as a sub in Friday night's crushing 3-1 friendly defeat to Iceland at Hampden.
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2
Ross Doohan could be set to make his Scotland debut
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
2
Steve Clarke has a big decision to make
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
And now he's hoping the out of contract Doohan - poised to return to Celtic - can report at short notice for the flight for tomorrow's game against Liechtenstein in Vaduz.
The 27-year-old played 18 games for Jimmy Thelin's Scottish Cup winners last season, standing in for Bulgarian Dimitar Mitov during injury absences.
Doohan started his career with the Hoops but didn't manage the breakthrough before later playing for Ayr United, Ross County, Dundee United, Tranmere and Forest Green.
He signed for the Dons in July, 2023, and overall has had 20 matches.
Doohan's last game was the 2-2 home draw against Rangers in April.
With Craig Gordon, Zander Clark and Liam Kelly already sidelined, Clarke then lost Angus Gunn through injury after just several minutes while immediate back-up Robby McCrorie was crocked in the warm-up.
It forced Clarke to throw on Ipswich Town third choice Slicker who has never played a league match in his career and has managed a meagre five starts over his six years as a pro, three of them at Rochdale two seasons ago.
It proved a horrible experience for the 22-year-old - at fault for all three goals and shaky in-between times before trudging off at full-time looking shattered.
Eighteen-year-old Bournemouth fringe keeper Callan McKenna - signed from Queen's Park 16 months ago for £300,000 - is the only other fit shot-stopper in the squad.
Scotland fans need to STOP booing Steve Clarke and his players says Kris Boyd
Scotland youth McKenna, who made his debut for the Spiders at 16 and made nine appearances, has been on the bench for the Premier League Cherries at various times without playing.
SunSport understands a Scotland cap would earn his former club a stunning six-figure bonus as part of the transfer agreement with the South Coast outfit.
McKenna will be on the plane for Vaduz.
Meanwhile, Craig Levein has confessed he's concerned over Scotland's looming goalkeeping crisis.
And the former Scotland boss is just as worried over our World Cup qualifying prospects after watching stand-in keeper Slicker's calamitous display in Friday night's defeat.
Levein - helping to promote a Walking Football Scotland event - told Sky Sports: 'Angus got injured last night after about 60 or 90 seconds, whatever it was.
'Craig Gordon's not fit and Liam Kelly's injured.
'It is a slight worry that Craig Gordon, in my opinion, is probably our best goalkeeper - and he's 42.
How they rated
Angus Gunn - Came for a cross in the first minute but crumpled with an ankle problem so was unable to continue. Terrible timing given he is without a club having left Norwich. 1
Max Johnston - Given his chance on the right hand side and made a positive impact. Will be disappointed he didn't make more of a back post chance to score. A decent start. 6
John Souttar - Showed great strength inside the box to hold off his marker and head home Max Johnston's wicked corner. Will be furious at the goals Scotland lost. 5
Grant Hanley - Tried to show Andri Gudjohnsen inside after Cieran Slicker's poor kick but ended up with egg on his face as he whipped it into the top corner from 25 yards. Grim night. 4
Kieran Tierney - 50th cap and a poor occasion to hit that milestone. Matched Albert Gudmindsson's runs all night before going off for debut man Lennon Miller in the closing stages. 5
Andy Robertson - Bombed up and down the left flank as he usually does but final balls were lacking the precision to really hurt Iceland. Skipper has to drag Scotland's defence out of this rot. 5
John McGinn - Patrolled the middle of the park as he usually does but nothing really came off for him high up the pitch. Scotland will need him refreshed and flying in September. 5
Billy Gilmour - Did precisely what you expect from him now. Kept possession and the ball ticking over as the link man all over the pitch. Below his best like so many. 5
Lewis Ferguson - Didn't know much about it at the own goal which put Iceland back in front. Unlucky as a comedy pinball moment saw the ball crack off him and squirm past Cieran Slicker. 5
Scott McTominay - Started on the left of midfield, tasked with supporting George Hirst. Few flashes of what he can do but a big game player so he keeps the real heroics for when it counts. 5
George Hirst - Missed an early header then denied his first Scotland goal by two great saves from the Iceland goalie then an offside call after scoring. Showed he's got some promise. 6
Subs:
Cieran Slicker (Gunn 6) - Debut didn't go to plan, that's for sure. Poor kick for the opener, flailing at the second, even worse at the third. Difficult not to feel sorry for him at times. 2
Lennon Miller (Tierney 67) - First cap. 3
Scott McKenna (Hanley 67) - Shored it up a bit late on. 3
Che Adams (Hirst 67) - No chances. 3
Nathan Patterson (Johnston 79) - Replaced Johnston. 2
Tommy Conway (McTominay 79) - On for McTominay. 2
'It's something that I'm pretty sure Steve's looking at.
'It's not like a club team where you can go and buy another goalkeeper.
'So that's the difficulty.
'We have to hope that one of the goalkeepers improves enormously in the short term, which is difficult.'
Scotland open up their World Cup qualifying bid against Denmark in Copenhagen in September and on our current form Levein added: 'You can't run away from it and say it's not a worry.
'It obviously is.
'And you could tell by the players after the match and the manager as well that they were extremely disappointed in the performance.
'But, honestly, it was one of those games that everything went wrong right from the very start.
'They just couldn't get it back.
'It was a really, really poor performance.
'Looking at two friendly matches at the end of the season and basing your concerns on that, I think, is not valid.
'But the fact there has been previous losses that haven't been great performances at all, that would give you a little bit more concern.'
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