Aberdeen and Hibs partnerships key for Scotland Under-21s as one Pittodrie star tipped for 'big impact'

Peter Houston believes Scotland Under-21s will benefit from club partnerships on the field.

The team play Turkey and Kazakhstan in a European Championship qualifying double header across the next six days.

Houston, who will take charge of Friday's night’s match with Turkey at Tynecastle Park due to Scot Gemmill testing positive for Covid-19, will have Aberdeen pair Calvin Ramsay and Connor Barron to choose from, as well as Hibs duo Josh Doig and Josh Campbell.

The former Scotland assistant manager reckons such relationships can be hugely beneficial to the team.

Connor Barron could make his debut for Scotland Under-21s on Friday. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

"They start to get to know each other's type of game, type of play," Houston said.

"They have the experience of playing against men and good sides they are playing against. You don't become a regular in the Premiership for your team if you are not producing on a consistent basis.

"It's important that those guys know each other's games and what we've got to try and do while we're here is we've got to marry that up with other players who are here and work forward as a team.

"It's a team game, everybody might have individual skills but without the others they wouldn't be quite as good a side. We have done that, we have working combinations.”

Campbell and Barron are two of nine players who could earn their first cap across the next two and Houston reckons the Dons midfielder has the talent to go far.

“You have Barron who is coming into the 21s for the first time and in the next couple of years will make a big impact, I'm sure,” he said.

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