Rangers’ Ryan Jack hopes his midfield partnership with Celtic captain Callum McGregor can bring Scotland more success.
The national side begin their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a Hampden Park double header as they host Cyprus on Saturday before taking on Spain next Tuesday.
While there are questions about who will start in goal in Craig Gordon’s absence, Steve Clarke also has decisions to make in midfield.
Jack and McGregor are the only outfield players from the Scottish Premiership included in the current squad, while Clarke could also turn to the likes of Manchester United’s Scott McTominay and Kenny McLean of Norwich.
The Old Firm rivals, who played alongside each other when Scotland beat Serbia to qualify for Euro 2020, have struck up a strong partnership for the national team and Jack is hoping they can bring more success.
“We have a great relationship through the number of games we played together,” Jack told Sky Sports News.
Ryan Jack has been capped 14 times for Scotland
“I don’t know what the manager is going to go with, I don’t know what the formation is but when you go away you just want to do as well as you can and try and show in the first couple of days of training that if he wants you to play that you’re ready.
“I think there are five or six midfielders in the squad and you look at it and you actually think anyone could play and there’s not going to be a big gap in the quality that’s coming in and out.
“It’s great competition but it’s also great for us as a nation having that strength in depth that hopefully we can go and be successful.
“I’m sure it’ll be the same idea for us all, that we all want to play, and that’s the sort of mentality that we’re all going to need.”
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Scotland boss Steve Clarke says he is yet to decide who will start in goals for their Euro 2024 qualifiers against Cyprus and Spain
Jack says the Scotland players enjoy carrying “the burden” of trying to reach another tournament after reaching Euro 2020.
“It’s definitely evolved and improved, 100 per cent,” he added.
“I think there’s always been an expectation, I don’t think that’s ever not been there.
“With getting to the Euros and having that bit of success it’s given everyone a bit of a taste of what that means and how big an achievement it can be.
“For us, as players, you carry that burden and we want to go and try and do it again.
“It’s the start of a new campaign and it’s always important that we start well.
“Cyprus and Spain are two great games for us at home and we want to go and try and stamp our authority on the group.”
Scotland squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Zander Clark (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Norwich City), Liam Kelly (Motherwell).
Defenders: Liam Cooper (Leeds United), Grant Hanley (Norwich City), Jack Hendry (Club Brugge), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Ryan Porteous (Watford), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Kieran Tierney (Arsenal).
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Brighton), Ryan Jack (Rangers), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Manchester United).
Forwards: Che Adams (Southampton), Jacob Brown (Stoke City), Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lyndon Dykes (Queens Park Rangers).
Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifiers:
March 25: Scotland vs Cyprus, kick-off 2pm
March 28: Scotland vs Spain, kick-off 7.45pm
June 17: Norway vs Scotland, kick-off 5pm
June 20: Scotland vs Georgia, kick-off 7.45pm
September 8: Cyprus vs Scotland, kick-off 7.45pm
October 12: Spain vs Scotland, kick-off 7.45pm
November 16: Georgia vs Scotland, kick-off 5pm
November 19: Scotland vs Norway, kick-off 7.45pm
