Alex McLeish is putting the finishing touches to his plan to cleanse the Scotland team of the Celtic influence.
In June 2017 Gordon Strachan turned to Celtic’s invincible side to produce a 2-2 draw at home to England in a match that gave the Tartan Army their biggest thrill in a decade.
Five Celtic players started that match with James Forrest watching from the bench, Leigh Griffiths was the hero with two late free kicks that no Scotland fan will ever forget.
When the out of management McLeish was offered the Scotland job the Celtic influence was under instant threat.
Scott Brown was first out the door when he announced that he was retiring from international football, since then there has been a gradual process to ease Celtic players out of the team,
In the first international of the season Griffiths and Craig Gordon started against Belgium, for no obvious reasons they were replaced by Steven Naismith and Allan McGregor for the match with Albania three days later.
McLeish has tried to find a way to include Kieran Tierney and Andy Robertson in the same starting XI but with a defensive side expected to be picked in Israel KT is likely to watch from the bench.
On the other side of the park four goals against St Johnstone on Sunday from Forrest isn’t likely to earn Forrest a starting place with Stephen O’Donnell the man in possession.
Callum McGregor is looking like the only Celtic player who will start in Israel, one more change and the former Rangers (IL) boss will have completed a clean sweep of Celts out of the Scotland side.
