IRREPLACEABLE
Steve Clarke to think over Lyndon Dykes Euros replacement as Scotland boss admits NO ONE can take his place
He could look to the U21s for a fresh face
STEVE CLARKE has admitted NO ONE can take the place of crocked striker Lyndon Dykes.
The national boss faces a selection headache after his No 1 frontman’s Euros dream was dashed by a freak training-ground injury.
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Clarke will bring in a fresh face over the next 72 hours — but insists Dykes is impossible to replace.
He said: “Nobody replicates what Lyndon brings, what his qualities are.
One of the best phone calls I ever made as head coach of Scotland was to Lyndon, right at the very start when he had the option of us or Australia.
“Since then we’ve had a great relationship.
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“He’s devastated not to be going with us and I’m really disappointed myself.
“He’s a key player for us on the pitch and also a key member of the squad. We’ll certainly miss him.
“It wasn’t a good moment when he went down. We just stopped the session after that, there was no point carrying on.
“It was just the way he landed on his ankle. That was it, no connection with any player. He was trying to get on the end of a cross and it was just the way he landed.
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“It’s too early to say whether he’ll come to Germany, that’s up to him.
“He’s gone home and has his family with him.
Inside the plush spa hotel in the shadow of Mount Wank where Steve Clarke and the squad will prep for the Euros
“I’ll ring him at the start of the week and see where we go.”
Bristol City’s Tommy Conway could be a contender to step up from the Scotland Under-21s but Clarke said: “I have a couple of days now to have a think about a replacement.
"We’ll see what’s best for the group, for the team and take it from there. I want to think about everything.
“The 21s is an area where we will look, for sure, but there are other options out there.”
Asked if Liverpool teenager Ben Doak might be an option up front,
Clarke said: “Ben’s in the squad to gain experience, to work with us.
“He’s been out for four and a half months, so let’s not put too much on him.
“He’s available here, maybe he’ll get some minutes off the bench.
“But let’s keep him in the right place. Let’s not over-hype or over-push him. Let’s do it properly.”
Clarke confirmed Scott McTominay, John Souttar and Stuart Armstrong won’t be involved against Gibraltar, the second-worst team in Europe and 203rd in the world.
But they will be back in contention to face Finland at Hampden on Friday.
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He added: “It will be quite different to any team I’ve picked before.
“All these so-called smaller nations are trying to improve. We respect them. OK, they’re a Pot Five team, but let’s respect them and go out there and play them as well as we can.”
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