Oli McBurnie Returns to Scotland Squad Under New Coach
Oli McBurnie has been handed a surprise return to the Scotland squad, five years after his last call-up, as new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli stamps his authority on his first selection.
The 30-year-old Hull City striker, capped 16 times but still searching for his first Scotland goal, has not featured since 2021. His most memorable contribution in dark blue remains a nerveless penalty in the shootout that took Scotland to the delayed Euro 2020 finals. Now he is back in the frame under a new regime.
Pocognoli’s first squad is anything but conservative. Alongside McBurnie, uncapped quintet Luis Binks, Colby Donovan, Jon McCracken, Josh McPake and Stephen Welsh all step up, signalling a clear shift towards fresh faces and untapped potential.
As widely anticipated, Stoke City defender Luke Graham and Sevilla forward Robbie Ure receive their first senior call-ups after eye-catching club form. Graham, 22, used Scotland’s pre-World Cup training camp in May as a springboard, having swept Dundee’s players’ player and young player of the year awards in the Scottish Premiership. He was an unused substitute in the send-off win over Curacao, Steve Clarke’s final match in charge at Hampden, but has since become an ever-present in a Stoke side unbeaten in four in the Championship.
Ure’s route has been more exotic. A former Rangers academy prospect, he exploded in Sweden with Sirius, scoring 20 goals and adding three assists in just 20 matches to fire them to the top of the table and earn a £5.5m move to Sevilla in the summer. The 22-year-old is still waiting for his first goal in La Liga, yet his inclusion carries extra weight: eligible for Ukraine as well, he looks like a player Pocognoli is keen to secure early for Scotland.
The new coach has not ignored those on the comeback trail. Goalkeeper Scott Bain, forward Kieron Bowie, left-back Josh Doig, midfielder Lennon Miller and attacker James Wilson are all recalled. Che Adams, though, is absent, with reports in Italy suggesting the Torino striker is injured. The door opens for others.
Binks, 25, now at Brondby, has represented both England and Scotland at youth level and offers versatility and composure at the back. Donovan, just 20, has surged into contention thanks to his performances for Celtic, stepping in impressively for injured Canada right-back Alistair Johnston. Like McBurnie, he has experience at under-19 and under-21 level and now gets his first taste of the senior squad.
Between the posts, there is continuity and competition. Bain, capped four times and now at Falkirk, returns, while Bradford City’s Jon McCracken is also included, both men having been involved in squads under Clarke. They now audition again under new management.
The Tynecastle contingent was always going to be a subplot. Pocognoli’s compatriot Wouter Vrancken, head coach at Heart of Midlothian, had said he was “confident” a few of his players would make the cut. He was right. Winger Josh McPake and attacking team-mate James Wilson, who already has two caps, are rewarded for sharp early-season form. There is disappointment, though, for Hearts winger Calvin Miller, who misses out this time.
At the back, Celtic’s Stephen Welsh has the chance to win his first cap after years of being on the fringes of the conversation. Further up the pitch, Sassuolo forward Bowie, Udinese midfielder Miller and left-back Doig also find their names on the list, underlining Pocognoli’s willingness to look across leagues and age brackets.
The pattern is clear. Experience where needed, but a heavy lean towards players on the rise. The inclusion of Bowie, McBurnie, Ure and Wilson in attacking areas arrives just as Adams’ injury leaves a gap in Scotland’s front line.
A new coach, a refreshed squad, and several careers about to change direction. The next international window will show who can turn this opportunity into something lasting.
