Kris Boyd has backed “top-class” Heart of Midlothian keeper Craig Gordon to do his country proud should he earn his 76th cap for Scotland on Saturday.

Gordon was recalled to the international set-up after missing out on the Euros over the summer.

The 41-year-old was named as one of three goalkeepers in Steve Clarke’s initial squad for the upcoming double-header against Croatia and Poland, as was current No.1 Angus Gunn.

Gunn has since pulled out with an injury, opening the door for the Hearts keeper to reclaim his spot in the starting line-up.

Speaking on The Warm-Up, Boyd said that even if Gunn was fit, now may have been the time for a change between the sticks regardless.

“I totally understood the whole thing with Craig Gordon not going to [the Euros] because Angus Gunn was our No.1 in the summer, and when you’ve got an experienced goalkeeper who has got the caps that Craig Gordon has got, he would be expecting to play,” said Boyd.

“I’m not suggesting for one minute that Craig would be a bad egg in the group, but when you’ve got that experience and that know-how and everything else that comes with it, you would be expecting to play.

“I said it a couple of weeks ago: for me, Angus Gunn has not been in great form at club level or international level.

“It might have been time just to take him out of the spotlight for the better – for him going forward and for putting Craig back in goals.

“Craig Gordon’s still got a lot of football left in him, and if he's given the nod between the sticks come the weekend and next week, he won't let the country down.

“He's shown for a number of years that he’s a top-class goalkeeper.”

Falkirk boss John McGlynn was also a guest on the YouTube show and spoke about his time working with Gordon in the youth system at Hearts.


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McGlynn recalled when he was a youth coach at Tynecastle and the doubts about Gordon’s height and build at the time.

Earlier this year, Gordon earned his 75th cap versus Finland but his subsequent omission from the Euro 2024 squad seemed to spell the end of his Scotland career.

Back-up to Zander Clark at Hearts at the time after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a double leg break, Gordon has since regained the No.1 jersey as well as his place in the national set-up.