With the biggest game in Scotland’s recent history upon us, I thought of the following idea. What would Scotland’s first team squad look like if it was made up entirely of Celtic players who earned their caps whilst at the club?
The list is going to surprise you with many legends of the club barely making the bench, never mind making the first eleven.
The formation is a standard 4-4-2 with the caps won in brackets:
GK: Rab Douglas (18)
RB: Danny McGrain (62)
CB: Roy Aitken (50)
CB: Bobby Evans (45)
LB: Tom Boyd (66)
RM: Jimmy Johnstone (23)
CM: Scott Brown (52)
CM: Paul McStay (76)
LM: James Forrest (35)
ST: Kenny Dalgleish (47)
ST: Leigh Griffiths (15)
SUBS: Craig Gordon (14), Billy McNeil (29), Paul Lambert(37), Jackie McNamara (30), Mo Johnston (10), David Hay (27), John Collins (32)
Like I said before, many legends of Paradise never made the list. Jimmy McGrory, Tommy Gemmell, Stevie Chalmers, George Connelly are to name but a few.
Having said that, it is fair to say that the match day squad list many talented players from across many generations and there are many arguments to be had about why so many Celtic legends received so few caps. Names like Jimmy Johnstone, Billy McNeil, David Hay all receiving less than 30 caps each when they won so many domestic honours between them and not to mention how many of the Lisbon Lions SHOULD be in this squad but are not is quite breath taking.
How do you think this squad would fair if they were pitched up in their prime against todays current international squads. Would this team qualify for a major finals?