TONY WATT is back in contention to feature for Scotland under-21s in their opening 2015 European Championship qualifier against Luxembourg at St Mirren Park on Monday.
Watt will have the weekend to get up to speed and Stark hopes he will be ready to play. The young Scots are already without Rory McKenzie, the Kilmarnock striker, and the Birmingham City defender Fraser Kerr, who is on loan at Motherwell this season. Watt's return has restored a level of experience to the squad, and he has an impressive record of four goals in six appearances for his country.
One of those came at home to Luxembourg in a 2013 qualifier in September, a match which Scotland won 3-0. Stark's side will be expected to deliver a similarly comfortable result on Monday to ensure a strong start in a group that also includes Georgia, Slovakia and the Netherlands. "If we are serious contenders to qualify then it is a fixture we need to get flying in and get to the top of the group," Stark said.
"Tony is back in contention. It was an unusual injury: usually when you go over your ankle you hurt the ligaments on the outside of it and it swells up but he hurt the ligaments on the inside a wee bit. There wasn't much swelling and he is coming in [last night]."
Stark had already supplemented his squad by awarding the Hearts winger Jamie Walker his first call-up at this level. It has proven to be a welcome distraction since the 19-year-old's last competitive outing came in the Scottish Communities League Cup final defeat by St Mirren. "It was disappointing but you just have to put up with it," Walker said. "Hopefully next time I won't be feeling like that."
The Scottish Football Association were left to overcome a setback of their own yesterday, with Dean Gorre, the Scotland under-17 coach, choosing to leave his position – the former Ajax youth coach citing personal reasons. "He made a significant contribution to the development of international youth players and helped contribute to the implementation of our performance strategy," said Mark Wotte, the SFA performance director. "I wish him well."
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