A good performance for David Bates on Wednesday could lead to a Scotland return.
Bates is in line to make his Sheffield Wednesday debut in the Owls’ trip to Rotherham United later this evening, three weeks after he signed on loan from Hamburg.
The centre-back last played a competitive game of football three-and-a-half-months ago and, as a result, missed out on a spot in Steve Clarke’s latest Scotland squad.
But injuries to a trio of players in Bates’ position, John Souttar, Scott McKenna and Stuart Findlay – the latter two of whom were linked with moves to Sheffield Wednesday in the summer transfer window – mean that there is still a place up for grabs.
“I have actually left a space because of the three late calls offs – there is space for another one,” Clarke explained, via The Scotsman.
SAKA, ANTONY AND 10 PREMIER LEAGUE STARS HEADING TO THEIR FIRST WORLD CUP
“David Bates has gone to Sheffield Wednesday and not played yet. Andy Considine has been keeping Mikey Devlin out of the Aberdeen team. That might change, he might get a chance now Scott [McKenna] has been ruled out. And Craig Halkett did well last year for Livingston and is in the Hearts team – I watched him on Sunday against Celtic and he did OK.
“Anyone can score an own goal [as Halkett did at Celtic Park], I scored a few of them myself! We have other options. I want to take a bit more time and see if some of them get some more game time before deciding whether to bring another one in.”
The Wednesday defender Bates. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Sheffield Wednesday are expected to make several changes to their regular side for the trip to Rotherham, with the place of either Tom Lees or Julian Börner in Bates’s sights.
The 22-year-old, who has four caps for Scotland, played 28 times for Hamburg last season and the same amount for his previous club Rangers.
