Clarke's squad call — and the Conway question

The Conway question

The details of Conway's fitness issue haven't been confirmed publicly, but the timing is uncomfortable. A squad announcement is already a high-wire act — Clarke has to balance form, fitness, and the particular demands of a World Cup — and having a key attacking option in doubt right up to the deadline is exactly the kind of headache no head coach wants going into a tournament.

Conway has established himself as a genuine option in Clarke's forward line, and his absence would narrow the attacking choices available. Scotland aren't exactly drowning in centre-forward depth at international level, so every available body matters — and a fit Conway is a different conversation to a squad without him.

What Clarke is working with

Clarke has had to make these calls before — Scotland's squads are rarely straightforward, and the manager has a track record of waiting until the last responsible moment before committing. That patience is a feature, not a bug. If there's a chance Conway is available, Clarke will want to know before he closes the door.

The wider squad picture will come into sharper focus on Tuesday, but the Conway subplot is the one that shapes the attacking department most directly. Clarke will have a plan either way — he always does. Whether Conway is in it is the part nobody knows yet.

Tuesday can't come soon enough.