CELTS ON A TIGHTROPE

FORMER Celtic keepers Craig Gordon and Scott Bain are battling for the No.1 spot before Scotland’s crucial World Cup qualifier in Greece tonight.

The one-time Hoops team-mates are in contention to take over from the crocked Angus Gunn as Steve Clarke ponders who will get the nod for the crunch confrontation that will go a long way to a place in next summer’s showpiece in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Ibrox stand-by Liam Kelly is another possibility, but it is more likely he will be among the stand-by squad.

GLOVE AFFAIR…evergreen Craig Gordon in action for Scotland.

Forty-two-year-old Gordon has struggled for game-time at Hearts following injury while Bain has been a regular for Falkirk since leaving the champions in the summer.

Boss Clarke said: “Craig is good. Liam is the same, despite not playing at Rangers but working ever so hard and training great.

“Scott Bain has come into the squad and shown that he’s benefited from coming out of Celtic as the third goalkeeper and playing every week.

“Chris Woods has been happy with the three of them. I’ll make my decision on who I feel is the best for the team on the night.

“Look, you know me, I never talk about the team.

“The players won’t know the team officially because I never tidy it up until the day of the game. But they will have a fair idea.”

Clarke has called for calm heads as the players step onto the World Cup tightrope in Piraeus with his team needing a point to keep alive their hopes with the final qualifier due against Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday evening.

The international supremo, speaking to the Scottish Sun, added: “The players have been good this week.

“They were quite relaxed when we were training over in Turkey.

“Most of them now have a lot of experience of big games and know what to expect and how best to prepare so they can perform at their maximum.

“You have to trust the players that they are going to get things right on the pitch.”