Hibs’ Scotland Euro squad hopefuls must grab chance to impress against Celtic

The fact that Scotland U-21s will not be heading to a major finals next summer will make Ryan Porteous even more determined to force his way back into Steve Clarke’s full international set up.
Ryan Porteous will not be the only Hibs player to set his sights on a place in Scotland boss Steve Clarke's Euros squad. Photo by Craig Foy/SNS GroupRyan Porteous will not be the only Hibs player to set his sights on a place in Scotland boss Steve Clarke's Euros squad. Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group
Ryan Porteous will not be the only Hibs player to set his sights on a place in Scotland boss Steve Clarke's Euros squad. Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group

But he won’t be the only Hibs player harbouring that ambition, according to his captain and defensive cohort Paul Hanlon.

Porteous has been part of the Scotland manager’s plans in the past but returned to the age group level for this week’s decisive and ultimately disappointing qualifiers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And, having failed to help secure a place at Euro 2021 for Scot Gemmill’s side, Hanlon knows that his young team-mate will be hurting but he also knows that he will now be fully focused on convincing the national boss that he is worthy of stepping back up to the main squad.

“But he isn’t the only one in the squad eyeing a place at the Euros,” said 30-year-old Hanlon, who was called up, along with Hibs right-back Paul McGinn last month, while striker Kevin Nisbet is believed to be on the cusp of involvement.

Hanlon was the only one to be handed his debut, managing the final 11 minutes of the 1-0 triumph over the Czech Republic, and while he knows it will be difficult, he intends to do all he can to give Clarke options ahead of Scotland’s first finals appearance in 23 years.

“It will be tough. He had a few left-sided defenders available for this squad. But, games like Saturday’s, against Celtic, are games where we can impress. These are the games we need to play well in if we are to show we can play at international level, against top quality players.

“It will be hard work but we need to keep performing well at club level and if we do that, as individual players and as a team, then we will see where that takes us all at the end of the season.

“We know what is at stake and all of us would love to go to a major finals so, starting against Celtic, we need to be at our best and hopefully that will be good enough.”

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.