Some of Celtic’s key players now turn their attention to international duty following a strong start to the season under Brendan Rodgers.
The Bhoys capped off a five-game winning streak with a commanding 3-0 victory over Rangers last weekend, reclaiming the top spot in the Scottish Premiership on goal difference.
While captain Callum McGregor enjoys a well-earned rest during the international break, James Forrest, Greg Taylor, and Anthony Ralston were all called up to represent Scotland in their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Poland and Portugal.
Scotland’s League A campaign kicks off against Poland at Hampden this Thursday, followed by a challenging trip to Lisbon to face Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese teammates on Sunday evening.
However, recent developments have revealed that two of the Celtic players initially named in Steve Clarke’s squad will now miss both matches.
Greg Taylor and James Forrest withdraw from Scotland duty
Earlier today, the Scottish national team provided an update on social media, announcing that both Taylor and Forrest have withdrawn from the squad ahead of the games against Poland and Portugal.
Southampton striker Che Adams and Rangers goalkeeper Robby McCrorie will also be absent, with Taylor and Forrest being replaced by Josh Doig and Connor Barron.
The reasons for Taylor and Forrest’s withdrawals remain unclear, but yesterday, The Daily Record reported that call-offs were expected, with only eight players present for the first training session of the camp.
This leaves Anthony Ralston as the sole Celtic representative in the Scotland set-up, potentially opening the door for him to feature against either Poland or Portugal. However, he faces competition from Sturm Graz defender Max Johnston for the right-back position.
Celtic fans will hope that Forrest and Taylor’s absence from international duty is merely precautionary following their efforts in the Old Firm derby.