Tommy Conway has been with the Scotland squad since Tuesday and could make his senior debut against Finland as Steve Clarke names his 26-man squad for Germany
As he finalises his roster for Euro 2024, Steve Clarke says Tommy Conway has made a smooth transition from the Under-21s into the senior Scotland camp. The Bristol City striker believes he can bring something unique to the Tartan Army in terms of attack.
Conway, who scored a header in Istanbul on Monday night, was called up to the senior squad and joined the group on Tuesday. Lyndon Dykes and Ben Doak’s injuries have kept them out of the European Championships, therefore Conway and Lewis Morgan, a forward for the New York Red Bulls, have been brought in to bolster Clarke’s attacking options and get the team up to 28.
It’s a sizeable step up for the Taunton-born frontman but having trained with the senior squad last summer on a training camp in Spain he’s familiar with many of the individuals in the squad, plus has City teammate Ross McCrorie by his side.
Conway has effectively replaced Dykes, a taller, more conventional No9, and offers a different threat to the QPR forward, providing pace, penalty box instincts and a willingness to run in behind, attributes which excite and intrigue Clarke.
Clarke remarked, “It seems like he has never been gone.” “Tommy has been terrific among the group; the boys know him from when he was with us last summer. I’ve been watching, and Tommy is someone I know fairly well, so I felt he was a nice addition. Another respectable season, good season for Bristol City, good with the 21s.
“Tommy is a little different from the forwards we have in that he prefers to get off the back of defenders rather than face up the play, so I’m interested to see how he fits in and how we can use him.”
Tomorrow, Scotland plays its final warm-up friendly against Finland at Hampden Park, and Clarke needs to reduce his squad to 26 players. Although the Scotland manager said that he has already decided who will not travel to Germany with the group, he has not yet had conversations with the two individuals in question.
Conway, along with Morgan, Che Adams of Southampton, and Lawrence Shankland of Hearts, is one of just four attacking players, so it makes sense that he was reticent to divulge much information during his pre-match press conference.
“We’re going with two forward players if I don’t bring in Tommy and Lewis, maybe three if you include James Forrest, but I include James as a midfield player,” Clarke continued. Given that Lawrence and Che will be playing up front, it seems obvious to me that we needed to add two more attackers.
Lewis was in one of my squads the last time he was here, so I know the player, the character, and the person, which is always beneficial. After that, you keep a watch on them to determine what your best option is going forward, and Lewis and Tommy were the apparent choices.
In contrast to the somewhat experimental lineup that played against Gibraltar on Monday, Friday’s starting XI against Finland will be a “mix and match” squad, more in keeping with Clarke’s conception of a first XI. Lack of training time is forcing some players, like Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, to be held back for the time being.
Less than two years after making his U21 debut, it is unknown if Conway will start, but it seems likely that he will earn his first cap in some fashion. The national team lineup is confident in the City front’s ability to step up. Over the last two and a half seasons, the forward has made 87 appearances for the Robins. That’s based on both his excellent experience at the club level, given his age, and his finishing ability in training.
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U21 head coach Scott Gemmill told the Daily Record, “Tommy is a player with really high potential, but he’s reached that point now where it’s not about potential, it’s actually about delivering.” That is the task he must complete after being included in the entire squad. However, he has demonstrated that he is deserving of the chance.
“If you look at his resume, you’ll see that he participated in about 30 Championship games last year and 39 this year at a very strong level. Before that, in his early seasons, he spent a few seasons playing for and near the first team.
Thus, the course and its advancement have persisted for a considerable amount of time. He has participated in seven games and netted three goals for us. During that time, he truly impresses me with his finishing ability both in games and in training.
“Tommy has stood out when he first joined us because of his finishing, but all of the young players are good and they are all getting better. He can execute a variety of finishes, but more significantly, he chooses the appropriate finish for the appropriate situation. Thus, not only does he finish well, but he also makes excellent decisions.
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