I'M ALL OUT OF GLOVE

National boss Steve's selection of Gordon makes the battle to be No.1 pick at Euros Scotland's most fascinating selection issue

- KEITH JACKSON

HE spent Sunday night at home with his head in hands and fingers crossed that his mobile phone was not about to ring with unwanted news.

The following day Steve Clarke was undergoing a medical MOT just to make sure the old ticker is cut out for the inevitable stress still to come between now and this summer's Euro finals in Germany.

The Scotland boss said: "I did all right I didn't fall off the treadmill!" Then it was off to Cappielow to conduct a check-up on the condition of veteran keeper Craig Gordon and smouldering striker Lawrence Shankland.

Yesterday Clarke named a 25-strong squad for friendlies against Netherlands and Northern Ireland. He'll only have 23 spaces when it comes to choosing who makes it to his Bavarian training base. And, injury permitting, he still has to reserve at least two more spots for Callum McGregor and Aaron Hickey, neither of whom will be available this time. Three if he wants to bring Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack along, having planned to name him in this latest group too.

Asked if he's starting to feel his own anxiety levels along with his blood pressure, now that the countdown has begun, Clarke said: "If players are touch and go at the minute it doesn't bother me. The ideal scenario is you get to the beginning of May and everyone is fit and available and I've got to make tough choices. That's the ideal.

"Historically people will tell you that you will probably lose one or two that you want to select to go to a tournament. So fingers crossed we don't."