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MICHAEL STEWART believes Scotland’s unused substitutes will have been left ‘raging’ that they were not given a chance to prove their international credentials against the Netherlands.
Interim manager Malky Mackay surprised many with a bold starting XI but then shocked most observers by using just three of the changes available to him.
Even then, Jason Cummings – the squad’s only striker – was given just the last three minutes to shine on his debut.
Stewart insists Aberdeen skipper Graeme Shinnie should feel particularly hard done by not to have made his Scotland bow in the 1-0 defeat at Pittodrie.
And the former Manchester United, Hearts and Hibs midfielder reckons Leeds United centre-haf Liam Cooper and ex-Hearts right-back Callum Paterson should have been given an opportunity against the Dutch.
Stewart said: “I can’t help but feel that there’s got to be a sense of rage for some of those guys who have sat on the bench.
“Graeme Shinnie, for me, is the one that is glaring, screaming out at me.
“I don’t want to have too much of a go at Kenny McLean, because I think he is a good player, I do, but he’s not as good a player as Graeme Shinnie.
“Shinnie is the captain of Aberdeen and he must have been sitting there thinking ‘let me on’.
“And Liam Cooper. Why put Charlie Mulgrew on at centre-half when it’s a friendly?
WASTED OPPORTUNITY
“I’m not 100 per cent sure about Liam Cooper. I saw him at Hull when he was younger but that was many years ago. He’s the captain at Leeds now, we’ve got to see him.
“We know what Charlie Mulgrew can do. He’s not going to be the future of a centre-half partnership for us. Let’s see Liam Cooper.
“I thought Ryan Jack was steady enough but, let’s be honest, he’s not going to be the future of Scotland at right-back. He’s not.
“The potential future for that was sitting on the bench – Callum Paterson.
“You’ve got the chance to make six substitutions and to stick with the majority of that side was staggering.”
Speaking to BBC Scotland, Stewart added: “He [Mackay] made some strange calls during the game.
“To give Jason Cummings all of three minutes, it’s not long enough.
“It just feels like a wasted opportunity.”
