Montgomery Receives First Scotland Call-Up as Pocognoli Reshapes Squad
Kristi Montgomery’s rise through the Scotland ranks has hit fast‑forward.
The Blackburn Rovers midfielder has been promoted from the Under-21s to the senior squad for the first time after Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean withdrew from Sebastien Pocognoli’s Nations League plans.
The 22-year-old has been ever-present for Tony Mowbray’s side this season, starting all eight of Blackburn’s Championship matches. That consistency has caught the eye of Scotland’s new head coach, who is wasting no time reshaping the squad for a demanding run of fixtures: Slovenia twice, then Switzerland and North Macedonia.
Tierney and McLean, with 119 caps between them, leave a sizeable hole in terms of experience. They are not the only big names missing. Scott McTominay, Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland were all unavailable before Pocognoli even named his group, stripping away much of the established spine.
So the door has swung open.
Montgomery becomes the eighth uncapped player in a 27-strong squad, underlining just how radical this selection is. He joins Luke Graham, Robbie Ure, Luis Binks, Colby Donovan, Jon McCracken, Josh McPake and Stephen Welsh in a fresh-looking pool that feels more like a reboot than a gentle transition.
There is a sense of reunion too. Oli McBurnie, Scott Bain, Kieron Bowie, Josh Doig, Lennon Miller and James Wilson are all recalled, while Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour returns after missing the World Cup through injury. His comeback shunts Manchester United teenager Tyler Fletcher back to the Under-21s, where he had briefly stepped into Gilmour’s place during the USA trip.
Not everyone has survived the reshuffle. Dominic Hyam, Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst, Grant Hanley, Anthony Ralston and Ross Stewart are among those left out as Pocognoli stamps his authority on the squad.
For Montgomery, though, the picture is simple. From Under-21 prospect to full international contender in a single phone call, and a Nations League campaign looming as his stage.
