Scotland coach admits 'no reason' why Hearts star won't earn first cap vs Greece as Clarke calls up new face

John Carver has admitted it’s not within the realms of possibility that Hearts teenager James Wilson and Motherwell sensation Lennon Miller could feature in the Nations League play-offs against Greece - insisiting they’re not in the squad just to make up the numbers.

Head coach Steve Clarke made the bombshell decision to hand teenager starlets Wilson and Miller surprise senior call-ups last week, with both players taking part in their first training session at Lesser Hampden on Monday.

Jambos schoolkid Wilson, who has scored six goals in 24 appearances for Neil Critchley’s side this season, only turned 18 last week, while Miller has proved a revelation for the Steelmen since breaking into the first-team squad two years ago.

Scotland assistant manager John Carver oversees a training session | SNS Group

Asked if Wilson and Miller, who have been drafted into the squad to fill voids left by injuries to a number of players, could play a part in either game against the Greeks, Carver stated: “Absolutely, there’s no reason why not. Again, I keep reverting back to Billy Gilmour who found himself in the same situation.

“We had a couple of injuries and Billy had to go straight into the team and play. He did a great job and he developed. You see him now, he’s brimming with confidence. So there’s no reason why not.

“James and Lennon are in the squad so let’s see what happens, you just don’t know. You can’t predict what’s going to happen.”

Greece - ranked 39th in the world - sit just six places above Scotland in the FIFA standings and will provide formidable opposition having lost just twice in their last 12 matches.

And Lechia Gdansk boss Carver is wary of the threat Ivan Jovanović’s side will pose over both legs after watching both of their Group B games against the country of his birth, England.

“It will be a huge challenge because they were outstanding (against England at Wembley),” Carver declared. “I also watched them in Athens where it was an even game until England broke and scored on the counter-attack. There wasn’t a great deal in it.

“But the game at Wembley was a tough game for England. They were in good form at the time, so we know what type of problems we’re going to have and we have to deal with it. It’s an extremely difficult game and we know that because they’re a good team, they defend well and don’t give many goals away.

“They score goals, can play through the middle and their away performances particularly catch the eye. Any team that goes to Wembley and beats England is always going to catch your eye. So we expect two tough games.

“For now, it’s just concentrating on the objective which is to get the results we need and stay in the top flight of the Nations League.”

Meanwhile, Clarke has added Ipswich Town striker George Hirst to his squad for the upcoming double-header.

The Portman Road star, who qualifies to represent the Scots through his grandfather, wasn’t included in the initial roster last week due to a delay with paperwork but that has now been resolved.

George Hirst of Ipswich Town has been called up to the Scotland squad for the first time | Getty Images

The 26-year-old played for England up to Under-20 level but Clarke - without injured duo Lyndon Dykes and Ben Doak for this latest international camp - has persuaded the attacker his future lies with Scotland.

The national team boss commented: “We had our first conversation about a month ago. He comes across as a very nice person. He wants to be here.

“George is someone we’ve had in mind for a few months. He wants to play international football and we offer him that chance. I’ve watched him recently. He’s in and out of the Ipswich team, he has played in the cup games.

“He scored against (Nottingham) Forest and I was spotted on the telly at the game. It didn’t take a genius to work out who I was there to watch because he was the only one on the pitch who qualified to play for Scotland. He is a player who will help give us more depth to that striker position.”

Read more: Nine Hearts players called up for international duty - another Tynecastle kid trains in Scotland senior squad