David Bates recalled to Scotland squad almost eight years after his last cap

David Bates has been recalled to the Scotland squad for the first time since March 2019, earning a return to international football on the back of an impressive start to the season with Turkish Super Lig side Amedspor.

The 30-year-old centre-back was drafted in by head coach Sebastien Pocognoli after Luis Binks withdrew from the squad ahead of Nations League matches against North Macedonia on Friday and Switzerland on Monday. Bates has started all 11 league games for Amedspor this term as the club climbed to third in the Turkish Super Lig.

His four previous caps all came under Alex McLeish during the 2018/19 season, when Bates was playing for Hamburg. His last appearance was a 2-0 Euro 2020 qualifying victory over San Marino in March 2019 — McLeish’s final game in charge.

Binks is the second centre-back to leave Pocognoli’s squad in recent days. Swansea’s Stephen Welsh was ruled out through injury last weekend and replaced by Los Angeles FC’s Ryan Porteous.

Bates joined Amedspor this summer after a spell in Belgium with Mechelen and Standard Liege that followed his 2022 departure from Aberdeen. The former Rangers player had been out of the international picture entirely during those years.

Pocognoli has framed the double-header as a pivotal moment in Scotland’s preparations for Euro 2028 qualification, which could begin as early as March if the side avoids the Nations League play-offs.

“I think that these two games are, if we start the qualification in March, the last package of games that we have to use to be ready for the March camp,” the head coach said. “These can be useful also for the process of the qualification. But if the qualification starts in March, we need to be ready. That’s why this camp for me is crucial.”

Pocognoli added that building a winning culture ahead of qualification remains the core objective. “I believe if we want to go to the Euros and be successful, we need to build this qualification feeling by winning games and to build the best winning culture possible.”