Steve Clarke in the March international break, added no new players to his current squad from either of the high-flying Hearts nor Motherwell teams. Clarke explained his decision by describing both teams as “greater than the sum of their parts”. The PFA Scotland Team of the Year has since been announced, dominated by players from those 2 clubs. Based on that PFA team, we explore how credible Clarke’s claim is, and who at those 2 clubs seems likeliest for a Scotland call up at some point.
Club football in Scotland this season
One of the big stories of this exciting 2025/26 Scottish domestic football season, has been the success of Hearts & Motherwell. League front-runners Hearts have made the contest for the league title, a genuine 3 way race. Motherwell have gained plaudits for their attractive, possession based style of play and their ability to generate clean sheets. They too at one point were touted by some as possible late challengers for the title. Yet Steve Clarke in March made no new call ups from these 2 teams.
Both clubs have Scottish players prominent among those to contribute to their club’s success this season. No surprise that the 2025/26 PFA Team of the Season announced on 17 April, featured 9 players from those 2 clubs. 5 of the 11 Team of the Season players included are Scots, yet only Lawrence Shankland of those 5 is a recent member of the Scotland Men’s National Team (SMNT) squad. Shankland scored on that momentous night v Denmark in November. He though missed Clarke’s March squad through injury.
Steve Clarke’s most recent squad
Scotland boss Steve Clarke was asked in March, why only Shankland & Craig Gordon from those 2 clubs have featured in his most recent squads. His answer wasn’t the greatest piece of Social Intelligence. Namely he replied that those 2 teams are “greater than the sum of their parts”.
Clarke’s reply at the very least seems questionable. It could be suggested, his answer was an attempt to be diplomatic in the face of a more legitimate combination of reasons:
- Players who have not yet proven themselves at a standard higher than the Scots top flight
- The relatively low standard of Scottish club football, compared to where he can currently source players from elsewhere. Opta rates the Scotland top tier at 75.1 (39th globally), much lower than e.g., England’s 2nd tier currently ranked 9th globally
- The age of some of the most prominent players suggest limited room for improvement
Clarke of course has previous, choosing players when needed that torpedo that theory. Step forward Andy Considine as an example, who debuted for Scotland at the tender age of 36 & doing a short term job for Clarke.
High stakes for Steve Clarke
As stated on this website, the stakes are sky high for Clarke at this forthcoming World Cup.
While by no means impossible, it seems unlikely he’ll risk introducing newcomers into his established squad so close to the World Cup. Findlay Curtis’ selection in March though, indicates the door may still be slightly open.
Who could Steve Clarke select from the Team of the Season?
Below are the 11 players who made that PFA team of the season.
Goalkeeper
Calum Ward
| Club | Motherwell |
| International eligibility | England |
| Age | 25 |
| Highest level played at | Scottish 1st tier |
| SMNT caps | Ineligible |
The SMNT squad is alleged to lack goalkeeping strength in depth. Modern-day goalie Ward would fancy his chances of selection for the Scotland World Cup squad, if he was eligible. However, he isn’t so that’s that.
Defence
Paul McGinn
| Club | Motherwell |
| International eligibility | Scotland |
| Age | 35 |
| Highest level played at | Scottish 1st tier |
| SMNT caps | 1 |
| Year of last cap | 2021 |
McGinn’s age isn’t in his favour, nor is his likely playing ceiling. McGinn and other players aged 30+ will argue they have an asset that grows with experience; wisdom.
Craig Halkett
| Club | Heart of Midlothian |
| International eligibility | Scotland |
| Age | 30 |
| Highest level played at | Scottish 1st tier |
| SMNT caps | 0 |
Called up by Steve Clarke to the squad in 2022, Halkett has yet to gain a full cap. Given Grant Hanley’s difficulties this season, Halkett has been suggested by some as unlucky not to receive a squad recall. Centre-backs are perceived by some as having a longer top level shelf life than other outfield players. Halkett similarly to McGinn though, has a perceived limited ceiling level against him. Dominic Hyam who gained his 2nd full cap in March, has a pedigree as a consistent CB in a much higher standard division than Halkett.
Emmanuel Fernandez
| Club | Rangers |
| International eligibility | Nigeria & England |
| Age | 24 |
| Highest level played at | English 2nd tier |
| SMNT caps | 0 |
Fernandez would likely be a Scotland cap prospect if he was eligible. Like Ward though, it’s a moot point. He has defected from England to play for Nigeria for whom he played in 2 friendlies. He isn’t eligible for Scotland.
Harry Milne
| Name | Harry Milne |
| Club | Heart of Midlothian |
| International eligibility | Scotland |
| Age | 29 |
| Highest level played at | Scots top tier |
| SMNT caps | 0 |
Like McGinn and Halkett, Milne is another whose perceived playing ceiling counts against him.
Midfield
Benjamin Nygren
| Club | Celtic |
| International eligibility | Sweden |
| Age | 24 |
| Highest level played at | Belgian top tier |
| SMNT caps | Ineligible |
Nygren will fancy his chances of being in the Sweden squad at the World Cup.
Elliot Watt
| Club | Motherwell |
| International eligibility | Scotland & England |
| Age | 26 |
| Highest level played at | Scots top tier / English 3rd tier |
| SMNT caps | 0 |
Watt has played in England’s 3rd tier, which is usually slightly above or slightly below the Scots top tier in Opta rankings. It is highly subjective which of the 2 is higher. More pertinently, he has the additional challenge that midfield is where Scotland has the most abundant talents. Of the uncapped Scots in this PFA team, Watt at least will be seen as young enough to improve further. He has potential to move to a club playing higher in the football money pyramid. He may also play for Scotland at some point.
Elijah Just
| Club | Motherwell |
| International eligibility | Not Scotland |
| Age | 25 |
| Highest level played at | Danish top tier |
| SMNT caps | Ineligible |
The New Zealand international will likely be selected for the World Cup.
Forwards
Tawanda Maswanhise
| Club | Motherwell |
| International eligibility | Zimbabwe |
| Age | 23 |
| Highest level played at | Scots top tier |
| SMNT caps | 0 |
If Maswanhise were Scots…. But the dangerous 23 year old isn’t, he’s Zimbabwean. Barring injury or some other career limiting irony, Maswanhise will play at a higher level than Scots domestic football. England’s 2nd tier may come calling to him soon.
Lawrence Shankland
| Club | Heart of Midlothian |
| International eligibility | Scotland |
| Age | 30 |
| Highest level played at | Belgian top tier |
| SMNT caps | 18 |
At last, a player in this PFA team who will legitimately feel a place on the plane with Scotland is realistic. The Hearts goalscorer finding the target would be very welcome in USA. Shankland played a season in the Belgian top flight, often ranked by Opta as the world’s best outside the ‘big 5’ divisions. He wasn’t though a regular scorer there, playing for a struggling Beerschot side. His non-scoring contributions have increased in recent seasons.
Claudio Braga
| Club | Heart of Midlothian |
| International eligibility | Portugal |
| Age | 26 |
| Highest level played at | Norwegian 1st tier |
| SMNT caps | Ineligible |
In this PFA team coincidentally, the youngest Scot is 26 and the oldest non-Scot is 26. Like the other non-Scots in this PFA team, Braga has age on his side. That combined with his talent and the position he plays at, he’d be a Scotland cap prospect if he were eligible. But he’s not eligible for Scotland.
Should Steve Clarke look at other Hearts & Motherwell Scots who were in contention for Team of the Season?
Stuart Findlay (Hearts) plus Stephen O’Donnell & Stephen Welsh (both Motherwell) were suggested by many as Team of the Season contenders. Calls by some for a Scotland recall of 33 year old O’Donnell are a vindication of a hardworking player, under appreciated in his 26 full caps mostly played for Steve Clarke. 30 year old Findlay has one full Scotland cap to his name, and has also been touted for a Scotland recall. Both though have age & ceiling level against them.
Welsh is 26 and possibly a prospect to be capped at full level at some point in his career. Hearts’ Marc Leonard has impressed this season. Against his Team of the Season case, is that he only moved to Scotland in the Winter transfer window. Like Watt, he plays in the area with highest competition for places in the Scotland squad. Aged 24 though combined with his excellent displays this season, he seems the best long term cap prospect of any Scot in this article.
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