SPL - Scotland call up Blackpool's Phillips

Mon, 20 Feb 10:36:00 2012

England Under-20 international Matt Phillips and Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew have been called up for the first time by Craig Levein for Scotland's friendly international in Slovenia next week.

Matt Phillips - 0

The Scottish Football Association is awaiting clearance from FIFA to select Blackpool winger Phillips, but expect to receive that this week.

Mulgrew's cause was championed by Celtic manager Neil Lennon after he scored during his side's 5-0 win against Hibernian on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon has won his first call-up in almost 12 months.

Craig Levein revealed he was approached by the family of Phillips to get the English-born striker into the Scotland set-up.

The 20-year-old Blackpool winger has been called up for the first time by Levein for the friendly international in Slovenia next week.

Phillips has represented England at Under-19 and Under-20 level but qualifies for Scotland through his grandparents, one of the qualification rules that Levein has been keen to exploit with the help of scout Michael Oliver. Levein was more than happy with the help in recruiting Phillips, whose selection is subject to FIFA clearance.

"This is not one of those cases that we have been researching and found on our own," he said. "This came from his family to us, if you know what I mean. It is quite a big decision, as you can imagine, to change nationality but he is very excited about the prospect of being involved.

"His grandfather is very proud I can tell you, and so is his family. Everybody has their own reasons for wanting to play for Scotland. But if he is half as successful as guys like James Morrison, Jamie Mackie, Craig Mackail-Smith and Phil Bardsley then I will be delighted.

"He is a young guy who has a tremendous amount of potential and I am extremely excited about him being involved for Scotland. I'm hoping that FIFA can push along the process and we can get him available for the game."

Full squad:

Gilks (Blackpool), Gordon (Sunderland), McGregor (Rangers); Bardsley (Sunderland), Berra (Wolves), Caldwell (Wigan), Hanley (Blackburn), Hutton (Aston Villa), Martin (Norwich), Mulgrew (Celtic); Adam (Liverpool), Bannan (Aston Villa) Brown (Celtic), Cowie (Cardiff), Dorrans (West Brom), Forrest (Celtic), Morrison (West Brom), Phillips (Blackpool), Robson (Middlesbrough); Goodwillie (Blackburn), Mackail-Smith (Brighton), Mackie (QPR), Miller (Cardiff), Snodgrass (Leeds).

Eurosport / PA Sport

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  1. The fact is Thomas, Rangers will survive this and I do­ believe will be stronger as a result. I don't­ believe Celtic, as well as many other top English­ clubs, are running a black bank balance so they all­ need to be wary. The time will come when football­ clubs will have to start running their clubs as proper­ profit-making businesses! Come that day all the­ overspenders will get their come-uppance. The­ phrase.....he that laughs last laughs longest. Rangers­ will be having the last laugh!

    From alan.j.mcconnell, on Tue 21 Feb 23:01

  2. 84 Alan, Bigotry, just be cause I am commenting on Blue­ Tuesday, i WILL BE SAD IF THE ORDINARY WORKERS SUFFER­ AT RANGERS HOWEVER NO SYMPATHY FOR THE REST

    From THOMAS, on Tue 21 Feb 8:50

  3. right GAZ you get a reprieve as i'm now off to bed­ so maybe get at you tomorrow or you never know yer luck­ andrew might be back for more mind and give gaz both­ barrels THOMAS

    GOOD NIGHT ALL GOD BLESS EACH AND­ ALL

    GLASGOW CELTIC CHAMPIONS OHOHOHOHOHGLASGOW CELTIC­ CHAMPIONS OHOHOHOHOH
    GLASGOW CELTIC CHAMPIONS­ OHOHOHOHOHGLASGOW CELTIC CHAMPIONS OHOHOHOHOH
    GLASGOW­ CELTIC CHAMPIONS OHOHOHOHOHGLASGOW CELTIC CHAMPIONS­ OHOHOHOHOH
    GLASGOW CELTIC CHAMPIONS OHOHOHOHOHGLASGOW­ CELTIC CHAMPIONS OHOHOHOHOH

    From BEST-FANS-IN-THE-WORLD.......FACT!, on Tue 21 Feb 8:28

  4. Thomas, I am not going there. The truth is Scottish­ football cannot survive without both Rangers and­ Celtic, Scottish football has declined 10-fold and­ more over the past 20 years. Without either of the­ two biggest football clubs in Scotland, Scottish­ football just could not survive.

    Please.....just­ stop the bigotry - it takes two to tango so if one­ refuses to Tango there is no dance! So please,­ don't pass the buck on to others. Be a man and­ take responsibilityfor your own actions! Lemmings are­ two-a-penny!

    From alan.j.mcconnell, on Tue 21 Feb 8:24

  5. what about that mad andy trying AND FAILING to get at­ me,incase you missed it here is how it­ started

    MCgeady had the right idea go play for a­ country that­ makes it to a tourny

    From­ BEST-FANS-IN-THE-WORLD.......FACT!, on Mon 20 Feb­ 7:35PM

    andrew THE RACIST then reply's by­ saying

    15.so what you are saying best fud is that­ mcgeady is no­ longer a bog trotting irishman,he is now­ a ruskie ??

    From andrew, on Mon 20 Feb 7:52PM

    NOW­ THIS IS THE INTERESTING PART

    he spends the whole night­ avoiding my question," andrew when did i say­ MCgeady was a ruskie?

    then at the end of it he­ say's och i have bogs to clean in the morning­ i'm off to bed,what he really meant was

    och ffs i­ have made a right arse of myself tonight and i have run­ out of insults because they are tooo good on here that­ BEST FUD! & THOMAS so i'm ducking­ oot

    BRILLIANT ABSOLOUTLY BRILLIANT just hope he comes­ back on tomorrow what a whanker

    From BEST-FANS-IN-THE-WORLD.......FACT!, on Tue 21 Feb 8:20

  6. Sorry Andrew it was that Plum Gaz, I never noticed, I­ thought we had already beaten him into a Pulp tonight,­ I apologsie I start to falter after midnight.

    From THOMAS, on Tue 21 Feb 8:14

  7. ANDYPANDY ,the racist,are you away to bed yet??hope so­ cos tomorrow i might need to use the public toilet you­ clean

    right neeeeeeexxt step forward GAZ
    what do you­ mean thomas is blowing his trumpet?and it makes a­ change from blowing me

    what exact do you mean by­ that??

    are you trying to say thomas & i are having­ sexual relation?

    From BEST-FANS-IN-THE-WORLD.......FACT!, on Tue 21 Feb 8:11

  8. oh thats a belter best fud ! do you remember the start­ of this thread? i was having a discussion with someone­ about the scottish side and you stuck your nose in and­ changed the whole concept of the thread. what a­ complete pr.ck you are! unbeleivable !!!!

    From dandare1799, on Tue 21 Feb 7:52

  9. So Tommy, why are u telling people u have taken early­ retirement and made alot of money? just another who­ likes blowing his own trumpet, suppose it makes a­ change from blowing BFITW.......................

    From Gaz75, on Tue 21 Feb 7:50

  10. yeh best fud,i hope they do, IDIOT !!

    From dandare1799, on Tue 21 Feb 7:48

  11. och thomas. i was trying to kill this nonsense but here­ goes. how does soap work ? it dissolves dirt and grease­ and sinks to the bottom ! no it doesnt you idiot ! it­ is absorbed by ,no there is no point,you are too thick­ to understand !!

    From dandare1799, on Tue 21 Feb 7:47

  12. anyway now that the "plumber is away to screw the­ nuts off his mate maybe we can get back to the­ thread

    why do we needyoung ingurlish guy's in the­ scotgers team? surely that "majestic" talent­ producing complex in milngavie must have better young­ guy's after all that was built to produce WORLD­ CLASS KIDS just like...eh..eh..eh...eh well anyway i­ think there must be at least one due out of there,so­ why does Craig i'll be the scumgers manager one day­ LEVEIN not just go get one of the world beaters WHO ARE­ SCOTTISH???

    From BEST-FANS-IN-THE-WORLD.......FACT!, on Tue 21 Feb 7:43

  13. NOW HERE IS A MAN WHO YOU KNOW HAS HAD HIS ARSE KICKED­ RIGHT IN, WHEN THEY START TO AVOID THE ISSUE AND COME­ OUT WITH THIS

    70.everything you say is stupid best­ fud,carry on spouting­ rubbish,but ive got to work­ tomorrow ,enjoy yousself.

    NOW THIS is when he has made­ an arse of himself, go back through his posts and mine­ and see what an arse he has made of himself ALL NIGHT­

    oh and another thing andypandy i'm sure as you­ have corrected my spelling all night you already know­ that you DON'T SPELL YOURSELF by writing­ "YOUSSELF" but you being a ingurlish teacher­ who sticks his hawn down lavies awe day would know you­ AGAIN MADE AN ARSE OF IT

    oh btw just to let you know­ just because you CLEAN THE TOILETS you are NOT A­ PLUMBER

    NITE NITE

    From BEST-FANS-IN-THE-WORLD.......FACT!, on Tue 21 Feb 7:37

  14. 70, poor Andrew you have exhausted your vocabulary­ to-night, firing out Scum and Fud to all and sundry, go­ to your bed and enjoy work to-morrow, and think about­ guys like me that were property developers, made a few­ quid, retired early and have an easy life, maybe you­ have installed some showers in my apartments and­ houses. Good Night Andrew.

    From THOMAS, on Tue 21 Feb 7:34

  15. and AGAIN andrew i still await your "honest"­ answer

    WHEN DID I SAY MCGEADY WAS A RUSKIE?????

    or is­ the question above your intelajunce ceiling?

    if you­ are going to come on and try to make a fool of­ someone,do what i do
    COME ON AND TALK@­ Aandrew...................by fhuck he's fikk as 3­ plankz of water

    From BEST-FANS-IN-THE-WORLD.......FACT!, on Tue 21 Feb 7:28

  16. Andrew you don't have to be a Plumber to take a­ Shower, you may be installing new showers, but try and­ use one for a few month's and you will agree.

    From THOMAS, on Tue 21 Feb 7:28

  17. 68, Correct George and no matter how its dressed­ "The Truth will Prevail", I await the­ Administrator Nuff'n'Helps first disclosure­ with baited breath, and no, this Time the­ "Establishment will not help, they are putting as­ much distance between themselves and Rangers as they­ can, even that last bastion of the W.A.S.P.'s, the­ S.F.A. finally acknowledged that their is a fishy smell­ from Ibrokes and they are holding an "Official­ investigation", Aye Right.

    From THOMAS, on Tue 21 Feb 7:24

  18. everything you say is stupid best fud,carry on spouting­ rubbish,but ive got to work tomorrow ,enjoy yousself.

    From dandare1799, on Tue 21 Feb 7:19

  19. sorry thomas,im a plumber, and no it doesnt,but i take­ your point.

    From dandare1799, on Tue 21 Feb 7:16

  20. 57 the forum is about scotland and shame of the last­ week has been viewed by worldwide football fans this­ effects everyone in scotland kill the roots and start­ new growth 9 team league

    From George, on Tue 21 Feb 7:06
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