New Scotland Under-21 head coach Tony Docherty has named his first squad for the final two European Championship qualifiers, including seven uncapped players. The standout selection is 16-year-old Alloa Athletic forward Kyle Glasgow, the youngest in the group. Docherty, who replaced Scot Gemmill, takes charge for matches against Azerbaijan at Rugby Park on 30 September and Bulgaria away on 6 October. Scotland must win both games and hope Czech Republic drop points to reach the play-offs, with Portugal leading the group.

The squad features St Mirren duo Henry Fieldson and Louis Jackson, Manchester United defender Daniel Armer and midfielder Tyler Fletcher, who previously trained with the senior squad at the World Cup. Docherty emphasized creating a clear pathway to the senior team, noting seven U21-eligible players are currently in the A squad. He aims to mirror the playing philosophy of new senior head coach Sebastien Pocognoli, assisted by former Hearts boss Steven Naismith, while fostering a winning mentality and attacking style.

SFA chief football officer Craig Mulholland is driving a wider transition to increase first-team minutes for young players at club level. Docherty acknowledged qualification is a "slim chance" but stressed the importance of the fixtures for future seeding.