Strain’s case for Stewart is simple: flexibility matters in tournament football. The report says he believes Stewart can operate in a 3-5-2, 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, and even start from wider areas if needed.
That matters for Scotland because international matches often turn into problem-solving exercises:
Stewart appears to give Clarke options rather than headaches.
Strain reportedly highlighted Stewart’s mix of pace, strength, touch and reading of the game. Those are broad qualities, but they point to a more important detail: Stewart seems capable of doing several jobs in one shirt.
He can:
That is why the comparison with other Scottish forwards is interesting. Stewart may not simply be competing for one role; he could be filling gaps between roles.
The update says Clarke explained Stewart “sentiu algo no joelho”, with the attacker reportedly managed carefully rather than risked. If that precaution proves minor, the Bolivia game could be a valuable audition before 14 June and the meeting with Haiti.
For Scotland, the next storyline is obvious: not just whether Stewart is fit enough to feature, but whether he can force his way from useful option into genuine starter conversation.