A comeback to the national squad is being urged in anticipation of the summer Euros, after the veteran winger scored three goals in his last two games.
Thanks to his impressive performances for Celtic over the last eight days, two experts are pushing Steve Clarke to give James Forrest a Scotland call-up in time for the summer’s European Championships. The 32-year-old was the Hoops match winner on Sunday, scoring both of his team’s goals in a 2-1 victory against Dundee to preserve Celtic’s three-point advantage at the top of the Premiership with four games remaining. This was his first appearance since starting in a 2-1 victory over St Mirren on November 1.
This brace came just eight days after the seasoned winger was used to devastating effect as a substitute against Aberdeen at Hampden last Saturday in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Forrest scored Celtic’s second goal in the exciting 3-3 draw that saw the cup holders prevail in a penalty shootout. With 38 matches for Scotland since his 2011 debut, Forrest has scored five goals, including a spectacular hat trick in a Nations League triumph over Israel in 2018.
The Lennoxtown young graduate last played for his nation in the summer of 2021 during the postponed Euro 2020 finals, but in recent seasons, he has fallen down the ladder due to his lack of playing time for the Hoops. Nevertheless, Michael Stewart and Stephen Craigan of Sportscene are certain that the veteran should be heading to Germany the next summer. The former brought up the recent assertion made by Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers that Forrest is still the greatest wide player he has available.
“People are talking about how Steve Clarke has Craig Gordon as his backup, despite the fact that he isn’t playing at Hearts, because of his big game experience,” Craigan stated. James Forrest is a prime example of that. He is in excellent form and hasn’t played in a 50-game season where he would start to fade by mid-June.
“He is having a positive self-image, scoring goals, and feeling like a vital member of Celtic. The fact that Celtic signed four wingers in the summer but James Forrest remains the best nearly makes a joke of the team.
“As the most decorated Scottish player currently active, he has firsthand experience of playing in and having an impact on major games. Who would you turn to, if you were Steve Clarke trying to score in the Euros? Who has done this before, here? James Forrest, one hundred percent. Four-time Scotland cap Stewart believes Forrest would be more than capable of playing that job. Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson are also in a battle against time to be fit again, which has severely restricted Clarke’s choices at right-wing back for the finals.
“For me, it’s a no-brainer,” he continued. James Forrest could cover right-wing-back given the issues we are currently having with that position if he were a member of the squad. He should be in the squad, in my opinion. Never mind that it was only a 23-man team.
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