'Pushed him': Scotland given update on Aaron Hickey injury as Brentford boss addresses availability
The Scotland defender has been missing for the last month due to injury
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has been handed a welcome boost ahead of next month’s crucial World Cup qualifiers after key defender Aaron Hickey returned to training with Brentford this week following injury.
Hickey has not featured for the Bees since picking up an injury during Scotland’s 3-1 win over Greece at Hampden Park last month, with head coach Keith Andrews remaining cautious due to the ex-Hearts youngster’s well-documented injury problems in the last two years.
The £18million defender had been out of action for almost two years after picking up a debilitating hamstring injury during a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge all the way back in October 2023, but had worked his way back to fitness over the summer and put in an impressive performance in the 0-0 draw with Denmark in Copenhagen on his return to the national team in August.
Named in the squad the following month, Hickey started the home clash against Greece, but was forced to limp out of the mammoth comeback win after tweaking a knee, ruling him out of Scotland’s 2-1 win over Belarus just four days later, with Celtic’s Anthony Ralston deputising.
The defender scored his first Brentford goal in the club’s Carabao Cup win over Aston Villa earlier in the campaign, and had gradually gotten back in the starting XI after proving his fitness, starting the club’s last two matches before picking up the knee niggle during the October international break. He has subsequently missed the Bees’ last three games.
However, with the squad for crunch November double header against Greece and Denmark expected to be announced on Monday, 62-year-old boss Clarke has been handed a major boost as he looks to seal qualification for next summer’s World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, with the 22-year-old expected to be included in Brentford’s matchday squad for the English Premier League clash with Crystal Palace this weekend.
"Aaron picked up a little injury with Scotland in the last camp,” head coach Andrews confirmed in his pre-match press conference. “We’ve pushed him as much as we can in a safe way, and it’ll be good to have him available [for the game at the weekend].”
Clarke does have injury worries elsewhere, though, with Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche confirming that goalkeeper Angus Gunn is struggling with a knee injury.
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