McManus captained and scored for Celtic at the weekend

McManus was named in the travelling party for May's Kirin Cup trip to Japan but was forced to withdraw by his club.

However, Jackie McNamara and Barry Ferguson did not travel to Fife, while Steven Caldwell and David Weir have arrived with slight injuries.

Manager Walter Smith has preferred the two-day gathering on 14 and 15 August to arranging a friendly.

Smith said: "You can only bring so many players for each position and the defenders who did well in Japan deserved to have their names on the list first.

"That is why Stephen was not involved in the first place, it is as simple as that.

"Since we announced the original squad, Steven Caldwell and David Weir picked up injuries, while there were doubts about Jackie McNamara.

The most important thing is to keep progressing at club level Stephen McManus

"They are three of our regular defenders, so I needed to bring someone in and Stephen will now get his chance.

"This is a big opportunity for him, he has settled in well with the boys and we will see how he does."

Hearts right-back Robbie Neilson and Motherwell goalkeeper Graeme Smith are the only other uncapped players in the training squad.

But 23-year-old McManus thinks he can make the step up, saying: "I believe I can play at this level but it's up to the manager, he picks the team but hopefully I can catch his eye.

"The most important thing is to keep progressing at club level because that's the only way you can get in the national side.

"The country's in a hole in football terms. We've not been to a major competition for a number of years now but all the players certainly believe in their own ability and when you've got confidence you can achieve anything."

Smith will travel to see the Faroe Islands take on Georgia in the Euro 2008 group's opening qualifying tie after the gathering.

Scotland begin their campaign at home to the Faroe Islands on 2 September.

Scotland squad

Goalkeepers: Neil Alexander (Cardiff City); Craig Gordon (Hearts); Graeme Smith (Motherwell)

Defenders: Graham Alexander (Preston North End); Russell Anderson (Aberdeen); Gary Caldwell (Celtic); Steven Caldwell (Sunderland); Stephen McManus (Celtic), Christian Dailly (West Ham United); Graeme Murty (Reading); Gary Naysmith (Everton); Robbie Neilson (Hearts); Steven Pressley (Hearts); Andy Webster (Hearts); David Weir (Everton)

Midfielders: Darren Fletcher (Manchester United); Paul Hartley (Hearts); Neil McCann (Hearts); Lee McCulloch (Wigan Athletic); Ian Murray (Rangers); Nigel Quashie (West Bromwich Albion); Scott Severin (Aberdeen); Gary Teale (Wigan Athletic)