BURY manager David Flitcroft congratulated number two stopper Jack Ruddy following his call-up to the Scotland Under-19s squad but admitted it will cause him a selection headache.

Ruddy will be unavailable for three matches while on international duty, between October 6-12, at a tournament in Germany.

He is due to miss two League One matches for the Shakers, at Colchester on Saturday and at home to Wigan the following weekend, as well as a second-round tie at home to Morecambe in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

Flitcroft ruled out promoting youth-team stopper Rhys Williams to the first team and must decide whether to bring in a keeper on loan or go into those matches with no goalkeeper on the bench.

“I am not sure yet (if I am going to bring in cover),” he said after Saturday’s 2-1 win against Coventry.

“I will know within the next 72 hours what we are going to do on that one.”

Despite the selection problems it has caused, the Bury boss said he was delighted for Ruddy to be given international recognition.

Scotland will face the hosts, the United States and Mexico over the course of the tournament, which will be held in Stuttgart.

Ruddy, aged 18, is the only member of Scot Gemmill’s 20-strong squad picked from a club outside the top two divisions in England and Scotland.

“I just feel it is a fantastic experience for him,” Flitcroft said of the trip, which is being used by Scotland as preparation for European Championship qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia and Latvia in November.

“(Bury goalkeeping coach) Ian Wilcock works him hard seven days a week.

“It’s great that he is getting that reward. It takes sacrifice to be the best you can be and he is getting his reward now.”

Ruddy trained with Aston Villa last month but a move to the Premier League side never materialised. He started his career at Rangers’ academy before moving to Spain with his family and has represented Scotland previously for the U17s.