Macleod Handed Scotland Call-Up

Photo by Jeff Holmes Rangers midfielder Lewis Macleod has been given a first Scotland call-up by Gordon Strachan for the European Championship qualifier against Republic of Ireland and the friendly against England, both at Celtic Park. The 20-year-old has been capped at every level from under-16s to under-21s and has impressed Strachan with his his performances for the Ibrox club in the Championship this season where he has so far scored seven goals. Stoke City full-back Phil Bardsley has been recalled to the squad in the absence of the injured Alan Hutton while Sheffield Wednesday striker Stevie May retains his place and Celtic's Charlie Mulgrew returns from injury and suspension. Martin O'Neill's side visit the home of Celtic, where he, like Strachan, was once manager, on Friday, November 14 with the England match taking place four days later. Republic of Ireland are behind Group D leaders Poland on goal difference with seven points from three games while the Scots are in fourth place behind Germany on goal difference with both teams on four points. Strachan said Macleod need only look at left-back Andy Robertson to see that he is "not only there to make up the numbers". As a Scotland Under-21 player at Dundee United before his move to Hull City in the summer, Robertson was invited to a training session with the senior team and was soon promoted, making his debut against Poland in a friendly in March before becoming an established member of the squad. Strachan said: "If things go well this week you never know what might happen. "Young Andrew Robertson joined us for an afternoon and played against 11 versus 11 to work on certain things. "After the game finished I asked the coaches (their opinion on) who played well and, apart from Scott Brown and James Morrison, he was man of the match. "I am looking forward to seeing him (Macleod) and working with him. "I saw him in the first game of the season and I caught up with videos and obviously other people watch games. "So it is easy to find out if a player is playing well. We think it will be good for us to have him along."