Oli McBurnie Returns to Scotland Squad Under New Coach

Oli McBurnie has been handed a route back into international football as new Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli ripped up the old script with a bold first squad.

The Hull City striker returns after five years in the wilderness, while uncapped quintet Luis Binks, Colby Donovan, Jon McCracken, Josh McPake and Stephen Welsh are all thrust into the frame for the first time.

McBurnie back after five-year exile

McBurnie, now 30, last pulled on a Scotland shirt in 2021, the final chapter of a 16-cap spell that has never yielded a goal from open play. His most telling contribution remains that nerveless penalty in the shootout that carried Scotland to the delayed Euro 2020 finals.

He is back now with a point to prove and with competition all around him. Pocognoli has moved decisively in attack, with Sevilla forward Robbie Ure and Sassuolo’s Kieron Bowie both earning their first senior call-ups, as expected.

Che Adams, though, is absent. Reports in Italy suggest the Torino striker is injured, and the inclusion of Bowie, McBurnie, Ure and Hearts attacker James Wilson underlines how quickly the pecking order can shift.

New faces, new direction

This is not a gentle evolution. It is a reset.

Brondby defender Binks, 25, has represented both England and Scotland at youth level but now stands on the brink of a full cap. Alongside him, 20-year-old Colby Donovan has surged into contention after stepping up for Celtic this season, filling in at right-back for injured Canada international Alistair Johnston and catching the eye with his composure.

Both, like McBurnie, have come through Scotland’s under-19 and under-21 ranks. Pocognoli clearly knows where he wants to draw his talent from.

At the back, there is also a pathway for Welsh. The Swansea City defender is in line for a debut, while Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller and left-back Josh Doig join Bowie in a youthful, energetic core that drags the squad into a new cycle.

Graham rewarded, Bain recalled

Luke Graham’s rise has been building towards this moment. The Stoke City defender, 22, impressed during a breakthrough season with Dundee, sweeping the club’s players’ player and young player of the year awards and forcing his way into Scotland’s pre-World Cup training camp in May.

He did not get on the pitch then, an unused substitute in the send-off win over Curacao that doubled as Steve Clarke’s farewell at Hampden Park. He has not looked back since. Now an ever-present for The Potters and part of a side unbeaten in four in the Championship, his form has finally demanded recognition.

In goal, there is a blend of the familiar and the fresh. Falkirk’s Scott Bain, capped four times, returns after previous involvement under Clarke, while Bradford City’s Jon McCracken also keeps his place in the national conversation, this time under new management.

Hearts’ promise, Hearts’ omissions

Pocognoli’s compatriot Wouter Vrancken had hinted that Hearts would be well represented. The Tynecastle head coach was “confident” a few of his players would make the cut, and he was right.

Winger Josh McPake earns a first call after a strong start to the season, while Wilson – already capped twice – is rewarded again for his sharp early form in attack. Their inclusion reflects the aggressive, front-foot football Hearts have produced under Vrancken.

Not everyone in maroon benefits. Calvin Miller misses out, a reminder that competition in wide areas is fierce and that Pocognoli is not picking on reputation.

Ure fast-tracked as Scotland move to act

If there is one selection that screams urgency, it is Robbie Ure.

The former Rangers academy forward exploded in Sweden with Sirius, hitting 20 goals and three assists in just 20 matches to propel the club to the top of the table and earn a £5.5m summer move to Sevilla. That form made him one of the most talked-about young strikers in Europe.

La Liga has not yet yielded a goal for the 22-year-old, but his situation cannot wait. Eligible for Ukraine as well as Scotland, Ure has become a priority. Pocognoli’s decision to move now, before he catches fire in Spain, feels deliberate. Tie him down. Build around him later.

The message from this squad is unmistakable: the door to Scotland is open if you are young, in form and fearless. The old guard still have their place, but the future has just been invited in.