David Bates recalled to Scotland squad after near eight-year absence
David Bates has been rewarded for a strong start to life in Turkey by earning a recall to the Scotland squad almost eight years after his last appearance for the national team.
The 30-year-old centre-back has been added to Sebastien Pocognoli’s group after Luis Binks withdrew ahead of the Nations League matches against North Macedonia on Friday and Switzerland on Monday.
Bates currently plays for Amedspor and has started all 11 matches this season as his club have soared to third in the Turkish Super Lig.
The defender won all four of his caps under Alex McLeish while playing for Hamburg in the 2018/19 campaign. His last appearance for the national team was in a 2-0 win over San Marino in a Euro 2020 qualifier in March 2019, in what also turned out to be McLeish’s last game in charge.
Former Rangers player Bates joined Amedspor in the summer after spending four years in Belgium with Mechelen and then Standard Liege following his Aberdeen exit in 2022.
Brondby captain Binks is the second centre-back to drop out of the squad initially named by Pocognoli last week, after Swansea’s Stephen Welsh sustained an injury and had to be replaced by Los Angeles FC’s Ryan Porteous last weekend.
The head coach is viewing this month’s double-header as crucial to his preparations for the Euro 2028 qualification campaign, which could begin in March if Scotland are not involved in Nations League play-offs.
“I think that these two games are, if we start the qualification in March, the last package of games that we have to use to be ready for the March camp,” Pocognoli said.
“If it’s not the case (that the Euro campaign starts in March), we can play friendly games which can be useful for June, so we have more time to prepare. And maybe, if we are really strong in the next two games, maybe we have play-off games. That’s the ambition.
“These can be useful also for the process of the qualification. But if the qualification starts (in March), we need to be ready. That’s why this camp for me is crucial in terms of demanding to the players, try to impress me and do everything to improve.
“I believe if we want to go to the Euros and be successful, we need to build this qualification feeling by winning games and to build the best winning culture possible.”
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