Tommy Wright believes Zander Clark deserves a Scotland call-up after helping St Johnstone rack up four straight clean sheets.
The Perth boss has been delighted with the recent performances of his number one but was sad to see the 26-year-old overlooked by national team manager Alex McLeish.
A spot opened up when Jon McLaughlin withdrew from the group preparing for this month’s crucial Nations League double-header with Albania and Israel to concentrate on Sunderland’s SkyBet League One clash with Wycombe next week.
But there was disappointment for Clark as McLeish opted to draft in Kilmarnock’s Jamie MacDonald.
Wright told the St Johnstone website: “To keep four clean sheets in a row – the first team to do it this season – is extremely pleasing.
“It’s a great achievement but we want five. Zander’s played a huge part in that and I really feel for him not being called-up to the Scotland squad this time around.
“I thought with the form he’s showed during our run but also in his performances in other games this season that he’d be in the squad but unfortunately he hasn’t been included.
“He’s been solid and made big saves when he’s had to.
“He’s organised the defence really well but the clean sheets have been based on hard work from the people in front of him as well so it’s been a team effort.”
Clark will be looking to keep up his clean-sheet streak this weekend by blanking out Hamilton at McDiarmid Park.
Accies had a difficult start to the season but Wright is not surprised by the upturn that has seen Martin Canning’s men claim four points from the last nine.
“I’ve always admired the job Martin has done at Hamilton,” he said. “Every year they get tipped for relegation and they prove people wrong.
“They’ve got experienced players in their team who know the league as well as some good young players with quality. We’ve got a really good record against them though and the onus is on us to really take the game to them and make it a difficult afternoon for Hamilton.”
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