Scotland told to pick 17-goal EFL striker for World Cup to end five-year exile

Ally McCoist has urged Scotland boss Steve Clarke to end Oli McBurnie’s five-year international exile for the World Cup.

McBurnie underlined his Tartan Army credentials by firing Hull City into the Championship playoffs at Wrexham‘s expense on Saturday.

Getty

The 29-year-old scored twice to help the Tigers come from behind to beat Norwich City 2-1 on the final day of the EFL’s regular season.

His two goals saw Hull leapfrog Wrexham into the last playoff place and ensure the club’s Premier League dream remains alive.

On an individual level, it also cemented McBurnie as runner-up for the Championship Golden Boot with 17 goals and seven assists this year.

And talkSPORT’s McCoist told his Breakfast co-host, Jeff Stelling, that the Leeds-born striker should be on the plane for Scotland.

“Well, you know something, Jeff?” The 61-cap Scottish hero said. “You wouldn’t have heard Aide, but Adrian [Durham] and I have been talking for weeks and weeks about Oli McBurnie.

“Clearly, it is not a position that we have massive depth and strength in. And he has had a fantastic, particularly, end to the season.

“And in my opinion, [he] would certainly come into the equation of getting in the squad for the World Cup finals.

“Definitely. I mean, scoring goals, he’s on form.”

Stelling agreed, replying: “Yeah, what a season he would have had, eh? Playoffs with Hull City, a sack load of goals himself and a place in the World Cup. That would be brilliant.”

“I think he’s earned it!” McCoist agreed.

Getty

When did McBurnie last play for Scotland?

Hull’s No.9 striker won the last of his 16 caps five years ago in March 2021 against the Faroe Islands.

Despite his goals in the Championship this campaign, McBurnie is yet to open his account for his country at senior international level.

In his defence, the former Sheffield United talisman has started just seven times for Scotland – only three of which came under Clarke.

The Tartan Army also lost six of those seven matches that McBurnie was in the starting XI for, including a 3- defeat to Kazakhstan.

In fact, the only other game was the Euro 2020 play-off semi-final goalless draw with Israel, in which Scotland won on penalties.

McBurnie then stepped off the bench himself in the final to score in the shootout victory against Serbia that booked their Euros spot.

Getty

However, sections of the fanbase have still not forgiven the forward for the 2019 footage from Sheffield United TV that called into question his commitment to the Scottish national team.

A year later, McBurnie found himself in hot water again after playing for the Blades two days after he withdrew from the Scotland squad.

But this season, he has sparked renewed calls for a recall after outscoring Championship rivals Lyndon Dykes and Tommy Conway.

After the pair both featured across the double-header defeats to Japan and Ivory Coast, McBurnie even asked Scotland boss Clarke why he continued to find himself out in the cold.

Steve Clarke’s reason for Oli McBurnie Scotland snub revealed

McBurnie said: “I rang the manager when his last squad was getting announced, just to kind of see his feelings on things.

“He said to me that he builds his squads on loyalty and that Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes have done really well for him.

“So he sees those two ahead of me.

Getty

“He doesn’t see me as a third or fourth-choice striker, so he’s comparing me against Che and Lyndon, and he sees them ahead of me.

“Listen, I’d do anything to get back into that Scotland squad.

“I feel like I’m playing as well as I have done in however long, and all I can do is keep performing for Hull and see where it gets me.”