Montgomery earns first Scotland call-up as Tierney and McLean drop out
Scotland have handed Blackburn Rovers midfielder Kristi Montgomery his first senior call-up.
The 22-year-old has been promoted from the under-21s by head coach Sebastien Pocognoli. He comes into the Nations League squad after Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean dropped out.
The Scottish FA confirmed the call-up on 21 September Scottish FA, with squad details reported by BBC Sport. Montgomery has started all eight of Blackburn's Championship matches this season. The Championship is England's second tier, a relentless 46-game league where young players learn fast.
For a newcomer, playing every week matters. It means sharpness. It means rhythm. Coaches pick players who arrive in form.
Scotland need that energy. They face four Nations League fixtures, Europe's biennial tournament for national teams that sits alongside qualifying. They play Slovenia twice, plus Switzerland and North Macedonia. Four games in one stretch tests any squad. International breaks move quickly, with training, travel and matches packed together.
Tierney and McLean leave a large gap. The pair hold 119 caps between them, a cap being a senior international appearance. Pocognoli was already without Scott McTominay, Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland before he named his group.
Montgomery is now the eighth uncapped player in a 27-player squad. Uncapped means yet to play for the senior side. The others are Luke Graham, Robbie Ure, Luis Binks, Colby Donovan, Jon McCracken, Josh McPake and Stephen Welsh. The under-21s are the age-group team below the seniors, a proving ground for international football.
There is experience returning too. Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour is back after missing the World Cup through injury. Oli McBurnie, Scott Bain, Kieron Bowie, Josh Doig, Lennon Miller and James Wilson have all been recalled. A recall means a return after time away from the squad.
Others miss out on this occasion. Dominic Hyam, Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst, Grant Hanley, Anthony Ralston and Ross Stewart were all overlooked.
What makes this stand out is the speed of the pathway. One stage is age-group football. The next is training with the seniors. For fans, this is the enjoyable part of an international window. A new name to learn, and a young midfielder arriving with weeks of club football in his legs. Supporters who have not seen him yet will learn fast. That is the joy of a first call-up.
