ANDY Goram believes the progress made by Allan McGregor at Rangers over the past two years means Craig Gordon is no longer assured of long term status as Scotland's first choice international goalkeeper.
Now goalkeeping coach at Clyde, Goram watched McGregor keep a clean sheet at Broadwood on Tuesday night as he made his first appearance for Rangers since suffering a season-ending ankle injury against Celtic in April.
Goram won 43 caps for Scotlan
d in an era where he contested the position over several years with Jim Leighton and he feels McGregor is ready to provide a similar challenge to current incumbent Gordon for the national team's No 1 jersey.
"It's great to see Allan back in action," said Goram, "and my admiration for him as a goalkeeper knows no limits. I think he is top drawer and Rangers would really have struggled over the past couple of years without him. I'm sure Walter Smith will be delighted to have him fit again and still at the club after signing a new long-term contract.
"I don't think anyone would now dispute he is a top-class keeper. Put it this way, who can remember the last time he chucked one into the net? He just doesn't make mistakes and that's the mark of a top keeper.
"Scotland are now very fortunate to have both him and Craig Gordon. I'm also a massive fan of Craig, but I think we are now in a situation where his Scotland place isn't as certain as it once was.
"If Allan gets the opportunity to get into the Scotland team, then I don't see Craig getting the job back easily. When you have two keepers that good, then the one who is not in the team has to wait for something bad to happen to the other one if he is going to get back in.
"Jim Leighton and I had that situation with Scotland and I think it's great for the country that we now have another two lads who are as good as any on the international scene."
The full article contains 356 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
