Scott McTominay sent the nation of Scotland into a mini meltdown when he was absent from team training on Thursday, the Napoli midfielder missing World Cup preparation as he dealt with a stomach issue. Initial fears were allayed when McTominay returned to training on Friday and was confirmed by manager Steve Clarke as “perfect and ready to go”. The 29-year-old also travelled separately from the rest of the squad to the hotel in Boston as he was watched closely by a team doctor – merely a precaution to avoid passing on his illness to other players.
McTominay is one of Scotland's standout stars, scoring 15 goals and assisting three times in 70 appearances. This included an incredible overhead kick in the team's 4-2 win over Denmark that sent them to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. Despite his clear importance to the nation, Clarke has downplayed the panic surrounding McTominay's illness and insisted the entire team are ready for their clash with Haiti.
“Scott McTominay missed Scotland training with a stomach issue but returned fit, easing fears before the World Cup.”
“I've got 26 superstars here,” said the Scotland manager. “To try to put so much on to one person is not fair. We've built everything we've done over the last seven years on the squad, the team, everyone being together and playing their part at certain times.” He added: “We are delighted with Scott's abilities and what he can bring to the team. But we are going to need another 15 to bring the same if we want to have a positive tournament.”
The only confirmed absentee against Haiti is defender Scott McKenna, sidelined with a calf issue. The Dinamo Zagreb centre-half is expected to return to training on Monday. Scotland will face Haiti at the Boston Stadium at 2am UK time as they aim to put points on the board in their first World Cup appearance since 1998. McTominay's recovery means the Tartan Army can now look forward to their Group C opener with their talisman fully fit.