Gemmill explains new-look Scotland U21 squad

Scot Gemmill named his Scotland Under-21 squad at Hampden Park

Instead, a raft of younger players were given the chance to bed themselves in at international level after excelling for Gemmill with Scotland Under-17s.

Players like striker Craig Wighton of Dundee, Celtic midfielder Aidan Nesbitt and the Reading defender Jake Sheppard helped Scotland reached the European Under-17 Championship finals in 2014.

They have now been promoted to the Under-21s. The young Scots cannot qualify for next summer's European Under-21 Championship finals in Poland. Gemmill, who recently replaced Ricky Sbragia as Under-21 coach, wants to blood younger players who are eligible for the next campaign starting next year.

"I felt it was important to give our younger players a head start at this level," he said. "We have very exciting young players coming through and this is an opportunity for them to test themselves at a very high level."

Scotland Under-21 squad:GoalkeepersRyan Fulton (Liverpool, on loan to Chesterfield)Mark Hurst (St Johnstone, on loan to East Fife)DefendersKyle Cameron (Newcastle United, on loan to Newport County)Alex Iacovitti (Nottingham Forest, on loan to Mansfield Town)Zak Jules (Reading)Jordan McGhee (Heart of Midlothian, on loan to Middlesbrough)Jake Sheppard (Reading)Liam Smith (Heart of Midlothian, on loan to Raith Rovers)MidfieldersChris Cadden (Motherwell)Greg Docherty (Hamilton Academical)Liam Henderson (Celtic) James Jones (Crewe Alexandra)Aidan Nesbitt (Celtic, on loan to Greenock Morton)Ruben Sammut (Chelsea)Craig Storie (Aberdeen) Forwards Ryan Hardie (Rangers, on loan to St Mirren)Oliver McBurnie (Swansea City)Craig Wighton (Dundee)