Steve Clarke says Scotland’s protocols are as tight as they can be after self-isolation measures for Arsenal star Kieran Tierney, Southampton’s Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Chrsitie last month.
Clarke has picked a strong 27-man squad for the triple header of trips to Serbia, Israel and Slovakia. The Arsenal, Celtic and Southampton men will all hope to feature after missing out in October.
The Serbia match is of the most importance, with a victory in that one enough to secure Scotland’s place at a major tournament for the first time since 1998.
But with added travel requirements to contend with this time around, there are obvious concerns for players catching the virus. Already two Serbian players, one of which is key playmaker Dusan Tadic, have tested positive ahead of the game.
Scotland’s boss has handed out assurances to the likes of Arsenal, who expressed concern for their player after Tierney caught the virus last time. Clarke says the protocols are safe and sound.
“I’m not sure we could tighten up any more than we did,” said Clarke at his media conference. “We had one player who tested positive in the last camp, probably because of the incubation period. The player was isolated.
“The two players that had been in close contact were immediately isolated and nobody else went down with Covid. I think the protocols, the way the doctor dealt with the situation, was 100% correct.
“The flights we will have is one chartered plane, same flight, same crew. We will be tested as and when we go. We will do everything in our power to make sure there are no Covid issues.”