Key Rangers backroom figure spotted in new role within Scotland camp

STEVEN GERRARD took him to Saudi Arabia after the duo worked together at Rangers.

But Jim McAlister is back in Scotland, back in football – and soon to be back on kitman duties too.

PA

Steve Clarke is running the rule over his squad this week ahead of a crucial couple of games[/caption]

Kenny Ramsay

Behind the scenes Jim McAlister will formally begin his new role next month[/caption]

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And he’s been spotted with Tartan Army hero John McGinn as he gets to know his new national team colleagues[/caption]

The former Morton, Hamilton and Dundee midfielder hung up his boots to take a job behind the scenes at his boyhood heroes – becoming Jimmy Bell’s kit-room assistant in 2021.

Following the Gers legend’s death in 2022 he assumed the duties until a sudden dismissal from Ibrox – an exit that eventually ended up in an employment tribunal and cost Gers bosses £13,000.

McAlister re-united with old boss Gerrard at Al Ettifaq, where other Ibrox figures like Mark Allen and Tom Culshaw were working in the Middle East.

So too was defender Jack Hendry and last week we told how McAlister would be working closely with the Scotland stopper again after landing a plum role within Steve Clarke‘s backroom team.

Although not formally beginning his role until April, McAlister has already been getting to know the lie of the land at the squad training base in Lesser Hampden as they build up to this weekend’s double-header with Greece.

The national team’s Nations League status depends on the matches in Athens on Thursday and Sunday’s return clash at Hampden.

The squad met for the first time this morning to begin preparations with McAlister on hand to meet his new colleagues and spotted shaking hands and sharing a joke with midfielder John McGinn.

Also new to the group was Motherwell starlet Lennon Miller, promising Hearts forward James Wilson and striker George Hirst, who switched national team from England to Scotland and cut through red tape just in time to make the first training session of the international break.

We exclusively revealed back in JULY that Ipswich frontman Hirst was ready to swap his international allegiance to Steve Clarke‘s set-up.

The Scotland boss watched him in the flesh for the Tractor Boys as he found the net in their FA Cup defeat on penalties at Nottingham Forest earlier this month.

And with a striker shortage caused by injuries to Ben Doak and Lyndon Dykes, and Lawrence Shankland out of goalscoring form, Hirst received his first call-up on Sunday evening.

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