Sometimes football selection is simple. Play well enough for long enough, and the door opens. That is the story here: Jon McCracken has been called into Scotland's 28-man squad after a run of six clean sheets in nine appearances for the Bantams, and it is a call-up that feels entirely earned rather than generously handed out.
For a new manager, the first squad is always a statement. Sébastien Pocognoli has arrived with the chance to make his own choices, and in bringing McCracken into the group he has made one thing clear straight away: form matters. This is Pocognoli's first announcement since taking over from Steve Clarke, and it gives the impression of a coach looking at the evidence in front of him rather than leaning on habit.
Form is the only argument that matters
McCracken's recent record is hard to ignore. Since joining the Bantams from Dundee, he has kept six clean sheets in nine appearances, which is exactly the kind of return that forces a manager to take notice. Goalkeepers do not need a highlight reel to make a case for themselves; consistency is the point, and McCracken has provided plenty of it.
That is why this feels like more than just a routine squad inclusion. It is a reward for doing the basics properly and doing them often enough to stand out. In a world where international calls can sometimes feel vague or overly familiar, this one has a more satisfying shape to it. The performance level is there, the numbers back it up, and the selection follows naturally.
It is also worth saying that this is not happening in a vacuum. McCracken trained with the national squad in 2024, so this is not a random leap out of nowhere. He has already had a glimpse of the environment, and now he gets the chance to push further by joining Scotland for Nations League matches against Slovenia, Switzerland and North Macedonia.
For McCracken, that is the next test. A call-up is only a call-up until it becomes something more. But on current evidence, Pocognoli has made a sensible, hard-to-quibble-with choice. The 28-man squad has room for players who are in form, and McCracken has done enough to deserve his place in it.
If anything, that is the encouraging part. This does not feel like a sentimental selection or a speculative punt. It feels like a manager looking at six clean sheets in nine appearances and deciding that the obvious answer was the right one.
