Alex McLeish snubbing Leeds United’s Liam Cooper looks even stranger after Scotland leak three goals against Kazakhstan

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When selecting his latest Scotland squad, Alex McLeish decided to snub Leeds United defender Liam Cooper and omit him from his plans.

The ex-Scotland youth international seemed a shoe-in for his first senior cap, having made squads before but not played.

However, McLeish decided to use other players and Cooper was left with a rest during the international break.

At the time, this seemed like a bizarre decision given Cooper’s performances for Leeds this season. The Whites skipper has been an instrumental part of Marcelo Bielsa’s plans, helping Leeds to third in the Championship.

They are well in the hunt for promotion with Cooper at the back, forming a formidable partnership with fellow centre-half Pontus Jansson.

And after Scotland’s opening game of the Euro 2020 qualifiers, the decision to omit Cooper looks even more unjustified and strange.

David Bates and Scott McKenna were the starting centre-backs against Kazakhstan as Scotland were embarrassed with a 3-0 loss.

Both defenders struggled to cope with Kazakhstan’s usually blunt attack as they ran riot among the Scottish defence.

Cooper’s leadership, aerial ability and tough-tackling approach suggests that he could have done a better job than Bates and McKenna.

Leeds fans were bewildered by McLeish’s snub and this opinion looks more vindicated after the Scottish horror show in Kazakhstan.