GORDON Strachan today revealed how Barrie McKay’s stunning Man of the Match-winning display against Celtic last month won the Rangers winger his first Scotland call-up.

McKay, who has been named in the national squad for the friendlies against Italy in Malta on May 29 and France in Metz on June 4 along with Ibrox club mate Lee Wallace, scored an extra-time screamer and a penalty in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final.

Strachan was at Hampden for the Old Firm match and was taken aback at how the 21-year-old handled himself in what was his first experience of the world-famous fixture.

“That was a big game, a pressure game against the champions,” he said. “It did make a difference. It would be silly of me to say it didn’t.”

McKay has, despite showing great potential when he played for Rangers in the Third Division in the 2012/13 campaign, taken time to make the breakthrough at Ibrox and has only established himself as a regular first team starter this season.

But Strachan, who is a great advocate of promising youngsters from our leading clubs going out on loan to lower league outfits to gain experience of senior football, believes he has benefitted hugely from stints with Morton two seasons ago and Raith Rovers last term.

“That says a lot,” he said. “I love all that kind of stuff, somebody who is determined to decide his own future, to mould his own future rather than sit back. I love it, absolutely love it.

“I have been at clubs where you can’t get kids out. They don’t want to go. They are quite comfortable sitting there. Then they find out in five years’ time they’re not playing top level football. But I like what he’s done, love what he’s done.”

Strachan has warned that McKay will find international football a big step up from playing in the second tier of Scottish football - and even from cup games against the national champions.

However, he is convinced the player has the attributes needed to enjoy a successful career at that level in the future.

“Our league is 25th in Europe at the moment,” he said. “When you are playing against Italy and France it is a different kettle of fish. But the game is still about being able to pass the ball and being able to control it and he can do that. We also watch for fitness levels and strength.”

McKay has struck up a telepathic partnership with Lee Wallace on the left flank of Mark Warburton’s team this season; they won the Rangers Young Player and Player of the Year awards respectively.

It is unlikely either man will, having played in the second tier this season, start in a competitive international any time soon, but Strachan believes the national team can possibly benefit from the understanding they have developed in the last 10 months.

“They deserve it,” he said. “Their partnership together is good. It’s an unusual partnership the way they do it. McKay gets on the ball and it’s down to where Wallace runs.

“It’s a thing we have not had here, but we have a system we think works. But let’s see if we can adapt. We can maybe adapt to some of these guys who come in. If there is someone exceptional we will adapt to them. If they are not exceptional they will adapt to what we try to do.”

Meanwhile, Strachan believes omitting the majority of the Celtic contingent from his squad fwill prove beneficial for both the Parkhead club and the national team.

Scott Brown, Craig Gordon, Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney have all been left out. Only Charlie Mulgrew, who has spent two lengthy spells out of action during the 2015/16 campaign with a hamstring tendon problem, has been called up for the meetings with the Euro 2016 finalists. “I think it benefits both the country and Celtic,” said Strachan. “I think we all would like to see our teams doing far better in Europe. It was just an idea to try something that might benefit everybody.

“There are guys who have been playing non-stop and they come along here and have played 50 or 60 games. That’s no real benefit to them."