Scotland manager Steve Clarke says he is ‘devastated’ for Billy Gilmour after he suffered a knee injury that will rule him out of the upcoming World Cup.
The 24-year-old Napoli midfielder picked up the injury during Scotland’s thumping 4-1 friendly victory over Curacao at Hampden Park.
Gilmour was forced off near the end of the first half and was taken directly for medical examinations, where scans later confirmed the bad news.
The midfielder has been one of the key figures in the national team’s successful World Cup qualifying campaign, making his absence a significant blow just days before the tournament begins.
Clarke did not hide his disappointment when speaking about the situation.
“I am devastated for Billy because he has been an integral part of our World Cup qualifying campaign,” Clarke said (via the Daily Mail). “The timing of this injury is so, so cruel. We all feel for him.
“He knows what we all think of him as a footballer, and as a person. While no words will give him any comfort tonight, I am certain Billy will have many major tournaments ahead of him in the future.”
Scotland have wasted no time filling up the gap in the squad ahead of their trip to the World Cup in North America.
Several players were placed on standby, including Lennon Miller, Connor Barron and Andy Irving. However, Manchester United talent Tyler Fletcher has received the nod.
Fletcher made his senior Scotland debut against Curacao and impressed enough to give Clarke something to think about.
The 19-year-old, who is the son of former Scotland captain Darren Fletcher, only joined the squad this week but quickly caught the attention of players and coaches.
Clarke acknowledged that Fletcher’s performance had created a difficult selection decision.
While the players on standby were strong candidates, the Scotland manager revealed that Fletcher’s recent training performances and encouraging debut moved him to the top of the shortlist.
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