Scotland: Interim manager Malky Mackay calls up three new faces for friendly

Aberdeen's on-loan Celtic player Ryan Christie, Hibs' Paul Hanlon and Nottingham Forest's Jason Cummings have made the national squad

Ryan Christie, Paul Hanlon and Jason Cummings have been called up to the Scotland squad for the first time for the friendly against the Netherlands on 9 November at Pittodrie.

Performance director Malky Mackay takes charge on an interim basis after the departure of manager Gordon Strachan.

Aberdeen's Graeme Shinnie and Kenny McLean, Cardiff's Callum Paterson and Rangers' Ryan Jack are also included.

Scott Brown and fellow midfielder Darren Fletcher are selected.

Captain Brown was thought to be considering his position after following Scotland's failure to reach the World Cup play-offs.

The 32-year-old reversed his decision to retire from international football during the unsuccessful qualifying campaign, and now seems likely to continue making himself available for selection.

Fletcher, 33, won his 80th cap in the final group match away to Slovenia this month.

"At the moment, both of them had made themselves available," said Mackay. "I'm delighted with that. They're two terrific professionals, two quality players and two guys that can really help some of the younger ones around them.

"My conversations with Darren and Scott have been very productive over the last couple of days. Longer term, that's their decision what they want to do. But they are going to be imperative for myself when we meet up on Sunday."

• Mackay 'to wait and see' on Scotland job

Christie, on loan at Aberdeen from Celtic, Cummings of Nottingham Forest and Hanlon of Hibernian have earned their first call-ups on the back of strong starts to the season.

"Paul Hanlon is captaining Hibs, who are going from strength to strength," said former centre-half Mackay.

"I went to the Edinburgh derby the other night and Hibs were terrific and Hanlon was so calm at the back. He's someone that's been in the Scotland youth set-up, but has taken his time to, I suppose, fill out, to understand the position, to learn to have that leadership quality but I'm seeing all that at the moment, as are a few people that I've spoken to.

Kenny McLean, Callum Paterson and Graeme Shinnie have earned recalls to the Scotland side

"Ryan Christie has been sensational this season for Aberdeen. I've spoken to [Dons manager] Derek McInnes on it and he's been glowing about Ryan. You only need to see the goal he scored on Saturday to realise the quality that he has.

"Now's the time to step up to the next stage.

"Cummings has been someone who, obviously, has had a career at Hibs and in the big games manages to step up to the plate. I think the next stage of his career was moving away from his home club, moving down to England, playing against big strong players and playing against players who are going to give him different challenges every week and becoming a professional who can handle playing 90 minutes twice and three times a week.

"In him, I see young version of Leigh Griffiths. I see someone with pace, I see someone that's finishing ability is second to none and it's maybe time for him to start becoming the player that people thought had great potential."

Ex-Hearts full-back Paterson, capped five times, made his Cardiff debut this month after 10 months out with a knee ligament injury.

Leeds skipper Liam Cooper has been called up before but never capped, while the same applies to Rangers midfielder Jack, Aberdeen captain Shinnie, Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor and Millwall goalkeeper Jordan Archer.

Among those overlooked are strikers Chris Martin and Steven Fletcher, midfielders Robert Snodgrass, Barry Bannan, Ikechi Anya and Tom Cairney and defender Grant Hanley.

Former Rangers manager Dick Advocaat, who took the national job in May, midway through the unsuccessful qualification campaign, will also name his Dutch squad this week for the friendly match, likely to be his last in charge.

Bayern Munich's Arjen Robben retired from the national side at the end of the campaign.

However, Advocaat is expected to confirm a squad that will feature the likes of former Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk of Southampton, Everton's Davy Klaassen, Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum and World Cup runner-up and Champions League winner Wesley Sneijder.

In his seven matches at Pittodrie as manager of Rangers, Advocaat won four, drew two and lost one.

Malkay Mackay is in interim charge of the Scots following the departure of Gordon Strachan

Scotland squad

Goalkeepers: Jordan Archer (Millwall), Craig Gordon (Celtic), David Marshall (Hull City)

Defenders: Callum Paterson (Cardiff City), Kieran Tierney (Celtic), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), Liam Cooper (Leeds Unitd), Paul Hanlon (Hibernian), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Christophe Berra (Hearts)

Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Celtic), Scott Brown (Celtic), Callum McGregor (Celtic), James Forrest (Celtic), Darren Fletcher (Stoke City), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), Ryan Jack (Rangers), John McGinn (Hibernian), Kenny McLean (Aberdeen), Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion), Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen)

Forwards: Ryan Christie (Aberdeen* on loan from Celtic), Jason Cummings (Nottingham Forest), Leigh Griffiths (Celtic)

Analysis

BBC Scotland's Alasdair Lamont

There is certainly an experimental look to Malky Mackay's Scotland squad, with a number of players who'd been vying for a place under Gordon Strachan coming in.

Aberdeen's Graeme Shinnie and Kenny McLean - often overlooked by Strachan - are rewarded for consistent good form, while Ryan Christie, flourishing as a result of regular first-team football, gets his first call-up.

It is heartening to see Callum Paterson back fit, with the lack of a natural right back having forced Strachan to play Kieran Tierney out of position.

As with any squad selection, there will be discussion over certain picks and omissions - has Ryan Jack's form merited a place over, say, Dylan McGeouch?