Steve Clarke remains firm on resolving his future as Scotland manager before the World Cup, but the surprise omission of Oli McBurnie from the 26-man squad has dominated headlines.
Clarke, 62, named his squad for the Americas, but the absence of Hull City striker McBurnie sparked controversy. McBurnie, who scored twice as many Championship goals as recalled Ross Stewart, revealed he learned of his omission through a teammate rather than directly from Clarke.
Clarke bristled when asked about McBurnie's claim that a previous private conversation was made public. "I thought that was a private conversation," Clarke said. "It shouldn't have gone to the media."
When pressed on a potential personality clash, Clarke defended his selection process: "I tend to stick with players I've had before. I trust them, they know what I expect."
McBurnie told The Sun that a squad member messaged him to break the news, admitting it "has been tough" and that he tried everything to earn a spot.
On his own contract, which expires after the tournament, Clarke cryptically noted: "There will be plenty of time to talk about me, for good or for bad."
Clarke's loyalty to his core group remains evident as he prepares for the World Cup, with the manager insisting his future will be sorted before the team departs.