Three uncapped Scotland players to look out for
Kai Watson 
Upcoming friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein give Scotland and Steve Clarke the chance to experiment over the next week, with some exciting names in his latest squad.
Scotland are expected by online betting sites to win both games, but two wins might not be enough for supporters who are keen to see some progression after a couple of years of stagnation.
Resident Scottish football expert Kai Watson has had a closer look at some of the names who could make an impression in the next week.
Steve Clark named what many would suggest is an experimental side for the friendlies against Iceland and Lichtenstein.
He came under fire because of the incredibly poor performance against Greece at Hampden which seen Scotland relegated from Nations League A.
It was a performance which lacked any type of spark and attacking ingenuity, so maybe that’s why he named seven uncapped players this time round. Perhaps the least exciting of the two are goalkeepers Robby McCrorie and Cieran Slicker, the other five, however, could provide fans with some more excitement:
- Kieran Bowie – Hibs
- Connor Barron – Rangers
- Lennon Miller – Motherwell
- Josh Doig – Sassuolo
- Andy Irving – West Ham
Kieran Bowie
Some names stand out more to me personally than the others and some are definitely a surprise, most notably, Kieran Bowie. This is the 22-year-olds first involvement in the senior side and, due to injury, only managed 637 Scottish Premiership minutes this season.
What makes him such an interesting addition to the squad though? He impressed for the U21s and that’s what Steve Clarke cited when asked about the forward;
‘Any time I watched the Under-21s he always stood out," Clarke said when naming his squad. "He's big, physical and strong - with good attributes to his game.’ – via BBC Sport
He isn’t wrong, his physical profile really stands out, he’s around 6’2 with pace and great running power. He’s scored some excellent goals this season and in five starts (18 total appearances) he managed six goals and one assist, averaging a goal contribution every 91 minutes.
He adds something a bit different to what was a stagnant front line for Scotland in the Nations League Play-Offs. He’s very direct with the ball at his feet and loves running at opponents in what is a very old-school fashion.
I’ve been impressed every time I’ve watched him for Hibs and Scotland U21s, it’s a massive shame that injury on international duty derailed his season. Four goals and an assist in his last nine matches was clearly enough for Steve Clarke to give him the chance to show what he can do at senior international level.
I’m excited to see him play, he’s come a long way from his small beginnings at Raith Rovers and Scotland could really do with more options in the forward areas.
Josh Doig
Josh Doig is the next pick that has really peaked my curiosity and I’m surprised he’s not been capped yet. The now 23-year-old was released by Hearts as a youngster before moving to Hibs and quickly progressing into the first team. After two seasons as a starter he made the switch over to the Serie A to play for Hellas Verona.
He was only there for a season and a half before moving to Sassuolo in January 2024 but, unfortunately, they were relegated that season. This season, however, they won Serie B and will be back in Serie A for next season.
Doig played 29 games, scoring once and getting an assist. He doesn’t contribute often in terms of goals/assists but his overall play definitely helps his side both defensively and going forward. He’s a really strong one on one defender and incredibly athletic which are probably his main attributes. He links the play down the left hand side and can drive both inside and outside, whilst being comfortable on both feet.
He’s really unlucky that he’s grown up in a generation where Scotland have Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney and Aaron Hickey all to pick from in the left back spot. In many other generations or for other nations, he’d definitely have multiple caps by now.
Injuries are something that had previously held him back, particularly when he first arrived in Italy, but hopefully he’s over that and can kick on being back in the Serie A and involved in the senior Scotland set up.
Lennon Miller
The last player that stands out for me, who’s in the squad for the second time in a row, is Lennon Miller. He’s someone I’ve wrote about and covered a lot personally and I think he has the potential to get to the same levels as midfields like Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay.
He made his Motherwell debut at 16-years-old, captained the club at Hampden at 18 and, as previously mentioned, has now been called up to the senior Scotland squad twice. He’s a young midfielder that plays way beyond his years and has already made over 75 appearances for Motherwell’s first team.
He has attributes that a lot of midfielders of a similar age, particularly Scottish ones don’t have. He reads the game very well, has excellent positioning, can receive the ball with an opponent on his back and can break the lines with his passes. There’s something about his game that is very ‘un-Scottish’ and he’s already been linked with moves to the English Premier League, Ligue 1 and Serie A.
He's someone that can dictate the play and control the midfield, which he does weekly for Motherwell, but can he do it at international level? That’s something that remains to be seen but a solid debut during this international break can further excel his reputation and could raise his price tag even further.
He made headlines during the last break for saying ‘I could maybe, in a couple of months, be the best player there’ a statement which he didn’t retract but only claimed he should have adjusted the time scale mentioned. Personally, I love his confidence and the media backlash he got for these comments were completely unwarranted.
His attitude and determination to be the best footballer he can be is a testament to himself and those around him. I want players playing for my country that want to constantly improve and be the best in their position.
Aside from left back, the centre of midfield is probably the most stacked area of the Scotland team in terms of talent. He’s competing with the likes of Lewis Ferguson, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn and Scott McTominay so it’s tough to break through but he’ll have every confidence that he can do it.
I really hope he gets some game time, maybe even a start in one of the games to give him a chance to prove what he can do on that stage.
Which uncapped players are you most excited to see?
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