Robbie Ure, the Sevilla forward, and Luis Binks of Brondby have secured places among five newcomers receiving their first full senior caps for Scotland under the guidance of newly appointed manager Sebastien Pocognoli. Alongside them, Celtic centre‑back Colby Donovan, Hearts winger Josh McPake and Swansea City defender Stephen Welsh have also been selected for the upcoming Nations League fixtures. In addition to the fresh faces, Hull City striker Oli McBurnie makes a long‑awaited return to the national team after his previous appearance in 2021.
The goalkeeping department sees the reinstatement of Scott Bain and Jon McCracken following veteran Craig Gordon’s retirement after the World Cup campaign. Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour is back in the squad after a knee injury forced him to withdraw from Steve Clarke’s final selection. Luke Graham, who impressed during Scotland’s pre‑World Cup training camp in May and enjoyed a breakthrough season with Dundee, earns a call‑up as well. The Stoke City defender has already featured in every minute of his club’s recent run of three wins and a draw in the Championship and has three under‑21 caps to his name.
Further additions include Sassuolo duo Josh Doig and Kieron Bowie, Udinese’s Lennon Miller, and Hearts attacker James Wilson, all of whom have been recalled to the senior side. Notably absent are Napoli’s Scott McTominay, who is recovering from minor heart surgery, Rangers striker Lawrence Shankland, who is sidelined with a hamstring problem, and Torino forward Che Adams, who remains injured. Overall, twelve players who featured at the World Cup are missing from Pocognoli’s inaugural list.
Among those omitted are Rangers centre‑back John Souttar, Celtic’s Anthony Ralston, Hibernian defender Grant Hanley, Wrexham’s Dominic Hyam, Manchester United youngster Tyler Fletcher, Millwall’s Lyndon Dykes, Stoke forward George Hirst and Swansea striker Ross Stewart. Binks, who captains Brondby in the Danish SuperLiga, is 25 and has previously represented Scotland at under‑18 level before switching allegiance to England’s youth teams.
Ure, a product of the Rangers academy, earned a high‑profile transfer to LaLiga side Sevilla after a prolific spell at Swedish club Sirius, where he scored 20 goals in as many games. The 22‑year‑old also qualifies for Ukraine through a grand‑parental link. McPake’s inclusion rewards his strong performances since moving from St Johnstone to Hearts over the summer, while Welsh joins after a successful loan stint at Motherwell from Celtic last season.
Right‑back Donovan has been ever‑present for Celtic this term and replaces his club teammate Ralston in the national set‑up. The full squad breakdown is as follows: Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Falkirk), Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes), Liam Kelly (Rangers), Jon McCracken (Bradford City) Defenders: Luis Binks (Brondby), Josh Doig (Sassuolo), Colby Donovan (Celtic), Luke Graham (Stoke City), Jack Hendry (Al‑Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Torino), Andy Robertson (Tottenham), Kieran Tierney (Celtic), Stephen Welsh (Swansea City) Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Josh McPake (Hearts), Lennon Miller (Udinese) Forwards: Kieron Bowie (Sassuolo), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Ben Gannon‑Doak (Bournemouth), Oli McBurnie (Hull City), Robbie Ure (Sevilla), James Wilson (Hearts) Pocognoli addressed the media after unveiling his roster, emphasizing his tactical priorities.
He said, “The most important factor for me is the style of play I want to implement on the pitch. My selections have been guided by that vision. I could have named many more players, but I had to make tough choices based on how they fit our system, injury status and recent playing time. I believe we have a balanced mix of seasoned internationals, fresh talent, first‑cap newcomers, and players returning to the fold.
It’s essential to welcome the new faces, retain the experience, and pass on the DNA, heritage and culture of Scottish football.” He added, “We are beginning a new chapter. What happened before is part of the past; now we must build something new. This is a fresh opportunity for some and a new beginning for others.
The aim is to perform on the field and maintain the right attitude off it as well.” Former Scotland striker James McFadden, speaking to Sky Sports News, praised Ure’s inclusion: “Robbie has been on our radar ever since his standout season in Sweden ahead of the World Cup, but he missed out then. His move to Sevilla proves he can compete at the highest level. Scotland has struggled to generate competition in the forward line for years, and Robbie’s unconventional path shows his bravery and determination.
He deserves respect for carving his own route and focusing on his development.” Regarding McBurnie’s recall, McFadden continued, “Oli deserves this chance. He’s faced a lot of criticism over the past few years, but his passion for wearing the Scotland shirt is undeniable.
He’s been patient, worked hard abroad, and now he’s back in the Premier League. He certainly merits a look to see if he can claim the number nine role for us.” The upcoming international calendar sees Scotland facing Slovenia on 26 September at 14:00, Switzerland on 29 September at 19:45, North Macedonia on 3 October at 19:45, a return fixture with Slovenia on 6 October at 19:45, another match against North Macedonia on 13 November at 19:45, and a final showdown with Switzerland on 16 November at 19:45.
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