“Sensational” Billy Gilmour’s Covid-19 diagnosis is a huge blow for Scotland ahead of their Croatia showdown at Euro 2020 says Charlie Adam.
The 26-times capped international was one of many pushing national team boss Steve Clarke to include the 20-year-old Chelsea star in the team to face England on Friday night.
Gilmour shone in that clash at Wembley, winning the Player of the Match award in the 0-0 draw.
🏴 Congrats, Billy Gilmour! Star of the Match on his first Scotland start 👏👏👏#EUROSOTM | @Heineken | #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/jNTdIah8iN
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 18, 2021
And he was expected to be pulling on the dark blue once more in the all-or-nothing clash with Croatia on Tuesday night.
Both Scotland and the Croats need a victory in the final group game to see themselves into the knockout stages.
However, Clarke will have to find a way without his newest star after Gilmour tested positive for coronavirus.
That sees him having to self-isolate for 10 days, forcing him to miss the Croatia match and the round of 16 game, too, should Scotland reach it.
‘He will be gutted’
Dundee midfielder Adam, who made his Scotland debut as a 21-year-old in 2007, said: “It is a sore blow for him personally and for the national team after his performance on Friday night.
“He will be gutted but it is a squad game. Hopefully the lads can still go out, get through the group stage and he can be involved again.
“He had a sensational debut. Listen, at 20 years of age, to go to Wembley and to play the way he played . . .
“We know he is a good player. He is at Chelsea and you are not bad if you are there.
“But the way he performed, how cool he was and his composure in the game was great.
“I had been shouting in interviews when people were asking me if he should play, that it was absolutely right he should be in the team.
“We have seen in glimpses with his performances for Chelsea that he has the right mentality.
“He also seems to have the right family around him, supporting him. And he is training every day with the best players like N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic.
“It was just about getting that opportunity and Steve gave him that on Friday night.
“Now, though, this is a huge blow for the country and for him personally.”
‘We have a huge chance’
Adam, though, is still bullish about Scotland’s chances of getting through to the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time.
A victory will do the job for Clarke’s side and the Dundee midfielder says there are plenty of options for the national boss to choose from to replace Gilmour.
“Someone will have to step in,” Adam added.
“He might drop Scott McTominay back into midfield and bring in Jack Hendry.
“But we have a good squad and have to be ready to go. It is a game we have to win.
“We have a huge chance. I thought the performances over the two games have been good.
“We were done by a wonderful header and a world-class strike in the first game and had chances in the second to win it.”