Kenny Miller, Steven Pressley and Craig Beattie have all withdrawn from Scotland′s matches against Austria and the Faroe Islands due to injuries.
Scott Brown and Russell Anderson will miss Wednesday′s friendly in Vienna but hope to be fit for the Euro 2008 qualifier in Toftir on 6 June.
West Ham′s veteran defender Christian Dailly is the only player called up by manager Alex McLeish.
Everton forward James McFadden was lost to injury last week.
McFadden is struggling to overcome the broken metatarsal that ruled him out of March′s qualifiers against Georgia and Italy.
Now Miller, who is one behind the Everton striker on nine goals for his country, will have to sit the games out.
McLeish called up Lokomotiv Moscow′s Garry O′Connor on Friday after McFadden pulled out, but the loss of Miller and Beattie leaves him with just three named strikers.
Derby County pair Gary Teale and Jay McEveley were not expected to travel to Austria due to their Championship play-off final.
However, Teale did not play in the Rams′ 1-0 win over West Brom on Monday and the SFA will ask the winger to join up with the rest of the depleted pool.
The squad met up for a training session in Dumbarton on Monday and will fly out to Vienna on Tuesday morning.
Prolific Rangers forward Kris Boyd - with five goals in seven Scotland matches - would appear to be a certain starter for the key game in the Faroes.
26 May 2007
Scotland boss Alex McLeish on Friday night handed Garry O′Connor his first international call-up since the striker missed a team flight to Ukraine in October.
The 24-year-old Lokomotiv Moscow player had paid the price for his non-appearance ahead of the Euro 2008 qualifier in Kiev by being omitted from all Scotland squads since.
O′Connor has expressed regret for his actions, which occurred during Walter Smith′s time as manager.
He has responded to criticism firstly with an open letter and then with a more direct approach to the Scotland coaching team.
Scotland assistant boss Andy Watson paid a visit to Moscow this month to meet with O′Connor, and the former Hibernian frontman′s form for his club has been impressive.
McLeish said: "Garry has apologised for the private problems that surfaced and led to him missing games. We wanted him to earn his way back into the squad, and have monitored his form. Andy Watson saw him in a recent domestic match and was impressed. I think he merits a return to the squad following recent call-offs."
O′Connor will join up with the Scotland squad for training in Dumbarton on Monday, after playing in the Russian Cup final on Sunday.
Everton striker James McFadden was forced to withdraw from McLeish′s squad on Wednesday due to a left foot injury, leaving Scotland short on attacking options.
Rangers marksman Kris Boyd and Celtic′s Kenny Miller are becoming established as Scotland′s first-choice front two, but behind them both Craig Beattie and Shaun Maloney have struggled for goals for their respective clubs, Celtic and Aston Villa.
O′Connor was a teenage full international, making his debut against Nigeria in April 2002 as an 18-year-old.
Although far from established as a Scotland regular - he has hit just two goals in nine appearances - the same could be said for many of his rivals.
Indeed defender Christian Dailly, with six goals, is the second-highest scorer in the current Scotland squad, behind nine-goal Miller.
Edinburgh-born O′Connor joined Lokomotiv from Hibernian in March 2006, with the Russian side paying £1.6million and offering the striker financial terms far beyond his previous club′s means.
He recently hinted that a return to British football might be on the cards, with his wife struggling to settle in the Russian capital.
West Brom - managed by his former Hibs boss Tony Mowbray - have been linked with a move for O′Connor.
09 February 2007
Gordon Strachan and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink have been awarded the Bank of Scotland Premier League Manager and Player of the Month prizes for January.
Celtic extended their lead in the championship race to 19 points with four league wins in January.
And Dutch striker Vennegoor of Hesselink scored five league goals.
He also scored in the Tennent's Scottish Cup win over Dumbarton but ended the month with a red card after his last-minute winner at Inverness.
The award is Strachan's second of the season, while it is Vennegoor of Hesselink's first since joining the Parkhead side in the summer.
