Hearts duo will be ready for Scotland call as Robbie Neilson delivers injury update

Robbie Neilson reckons Craig Gordon and Steven Naismith will be ready if called on by Scotland next moth. Picture: SNS

The pair were absent from Thursday evening’s tense semi final penalty shoot-out win over Israel having not been included in Steve Clarke’s squad for the current triple header.

It now sets up one of the biggest games in the national team’s recent history when they travel to Serbia with a place at the country's first finals since 1998 at stake.

Neilson has backed his captain and goalkeeper to be in a position by next month where they should be considered by manager Steve Clarke with plenty of games on the horizon.

He said: “Steven would be available and ready, he has started the last couple of games and was a big part of the team before that squad was selected.

"Ultimately it’s down to Steve whether he wants to put him in there. He’s got great experience, he’s played and scored in some big games and I don’t think there will be many bigger than this one that’s coming up.

“It would be massive for him and Craig Gordon. The two of them are still desperate to be some sort of part of it, whether being involved in the game or part of the squad for their experience. I hope they can get into a position where they can get in it.

“The two of them have been great since I’ve come in, it’s a massive game for Scotland and Steve will have a lot of people who will want to be involved in that game.

"We’ll try and get them as ready as we can.”

Fitness update

Hearts travel to Methil this afternoon to face Cowdenbeath in the second Betfred Cup group stage fixture with no fresh injury concerns.

“A wee bit of tightness from the first competitive game,” Neilson said of the team’s fitness. “But other than that they are okay.

"We had three days in between there, we now go into two days between the next three games which is a wee bit more hectic.

"it’s just getting back to competitive games and also condensed fixtures. They’ve been off for seven months and then they get four games in 11 days.”