All Rhodes lead to Cyprus
By Ross Brady
Huddersfield Town striker Jordan Rhodes has received his first call-up to the Scotland first team.
The 21 year old has been scoring goals for fun in this campaign having notched up 13 goals in 14 games. Including a hat trick and a brace for the Under 21’s against both Luxembourg and Austria.
Scotland will take on Cyprus in Larnaca on the 11 November, in what will be the Scotland boss Craig Levein’s first game in charge since the failure to qualify for the European Championships. 
The Scotland manager believes Rhodes has deserved his opportunity to shine due to the improvements he has made on the field: “I watched him a number of times myself and the progress in his game not just in his goal scoring but game in general is quite remarkable over the last year or so.”
Levein also believes the depth of his top line is growing stronger and it’s a testament to the youngsters game: “As a reward for how he is doing just now it is quite hard to (make the first team squad), Kenny Miller, Craig Mackail-Smith and David Goodwillie are kind of regulars just now and its getting harder and harder to break into the squad in that position.”
Scotland moved up one place in the last FIFA World rankings and will be looking to improve even further with a victory against 120th ranked Cyprus: “We want to win the match its simple as that. I see the game against Cyprus for our preparation for the World Cup in Brazil.”
A number of players have dropped out the squad due to injuries, form and off the field incidents. Steven Naismith and Danny Swanson are missing from the squad due to injury.
Naismith looks to be out for the rest of the season with a cruciate knee injury which is an injury the Scotland boss can sympathise with having suffered the same injury five times in his own career: “It is a real blow for the boy, his club and also for ourselves. Having had to stop playing myself with a similar injury I know how frustrating and soul destroying it is to suffer from this particular injury. “
The attitude of Steven Naismith, Levein believes will be the key to recovery: “The good thing from my point of view is the attitude of Steven will be what enables him to get back not just playing well but be on the gradual curve of improvement that he was on already he has came back from a similar injury previously and his progress has been quite phenomenal. I’m certain he will be back.”
Stand-in Celtic captain Charlie Mulgrew could not force his way in to the team while former Celtic captain Stephen McManus drops out completely. Barry Bannan was the biggest talking point however after he was omitted from the squad due to his recent charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
The young Aston Villa midfielder received man of the match awards in his recent performances for the national team and will be a big miss to the Tartan Army: ”I feel it is difficult as the national team manager when you represent your country it would be better just to resolve itself.
“Then Barry would be back in the squad after that.”
Scotland squad to play Cyprus: Gilks (Blackpool), Marshall (Cardiff), McGregor (Rangers); Bardsley (Sunderland), Berra (Wolves), Caldwell (Wigan), Hanley (Blackburn), Hutton (Aston Villa), Martin (Norwich), Wallace (Rangers), Whittaker (Rangers); Adam (Liverpool), Cowie (Cardiff), Dorrans (West Brom), Fletcher (Manchester United), McArthur (Wigan), Morrison (West Brom), Robson (Middlesbrough), Snodgrass (Leeds); Goodwillie (Blackburn), Mackail-Smith (Brighton), Mackie (QPR), Miller (Cardiff), Rhodes (Huddersfield).
