Black in Blue! Ibrox player's cap call beats Division 3 ban after injuries hit Levein

By JOHN GREECHAN FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 18:23 EST, 12 August 2012 | Updated: 18:23 EST, 12 August 2012

 

Craig Levein has given Rangers midfielder Ian Black a first Scotland call-up - despite the former Hearts star's new status as a Third Division footballer.

The national manager was accused by Ibrox boss Ally McCoist of short-changing Scotland fans after he decided to exclude full-back Lee  Wallace from the squad to face Australia at Easter Road on Wednesday.

Levein insisted at the time that it was difficult for anyone playing in the country’s fourth tier ‘to be up to the speed of an international match’.

Call-up: Ian Black has been named in Craig Levein's latest Scotland squad

Despite Black having featured in Rangers’ shock 2-2 draw at Peterhead in their Division Three opener on Saturday, however, the combative midfielder has now been drafted in following four call-offs.

Ross McCormack has also been recalled after the frustrated Leeds United striker publicly questioned why he appeared to have fallen off the international radar.

Nation expects: Levein

But it is the call-up for Black, who has one B cap dating back to 2009, which will spark most interest after an angry McCoist had argued that his team-mate Wallace remained capable of performing on the biggest stage.

Levein last week publicly declared his intention to leave the door open to Rangers players despite the club’s demotion to the bottom tier of senior football.

But he warned: ‘It is very difficult for anyone playing in the Third Division in Scotland to be up to the speed of an international match. ‘The best scenario is for players to be playing at the top level to play international football.’

Former Ibrox player McCormack went public over his exclusion from a number of squads earlier this year.

He last appeared in last year’s Carling Nations Cup match against the Republic of Ireland — and insisted he’d had no contact with Levein since.

Levein has been forced to make changes after losing four players, with Celtic’s James Forrest, Jamie Mackie and Phil Bardsley all out injured and Graham Dorrans excused for personal reasons.