Scotland keeper Craig Gordon has no plans to “throw the toys out of the pram” after finding himself in a fight for the number one shirt for his country.

Allan McGregor took the gloves for Monday night’s 2-0 win over Albania at Hampden in the opening game of the Nations League campaign, prompting suggestions that the Rangers goalkeeper has leapfrogged Gordon in the pecking order.

Scotland manager Alex McLeish has given each stopper a game apiece but if it transpires that it is McGregor who nails down the starting spot, Gordon will not be tempted to decide his time with the national team is up.

“I’d love to go to a tournament and I like to think we have a good chance of getting to the Euros,” said the 35-year-old. “So I definitely not going to say I don’t want to be involved – I want to be the first choice but I’d be happy to go along as back-up if need be.

“I won’t be chucking the toys out of the pram because I want to do the best I can for my country. If the decision is taken out of my hands then fair enough but at some point we are going to have to bring young goalies through. It’s a balancing act between being selfish and giving others an opportunity a couple of years down the line.

“I want to play as many times for Scotland as I can. But if there comes a time when it’s more beneficial for the country to bring in some younger ‘keepers to give them a taste of it then it may become the case [that I quit].

“If they came to me or Allan at some point in the future and say that’s what they want to do then that will be the time for us to step aside but right now I want to win as many caps as possible. So I’ll continue to play until I’m no longer asked to.”

In terms of getting the short straw, Gordon drew it last week when he took his place for Friday night’s thumping against Belgium at Hampden. If there was anything positive to be taken from the experience it would be that his cap took him to 53, equating him with former goalkeeper Alan Rough.

Gordon remains a significant distance off of the 91 it would take to draw par with former Scotland, Aberdeen and Manchester United keeper Jim Leighton but if truth be told it was a night that is best consigned to being of little more than statistical note.

Scotland’s worst home defeat in 45 years will not be one for the scrapbook, nor will Gordon’s part in the build-up to Belgium’s first goal hold too many fond memories.

John McGinn lost the ball at the edge of his own box after Gordon had thrown the ball to his feet before Romelu Lukaku scored. The Celtic keeper joked that if it came to stats then his role in the incident went down as a “pass completed” although he did expand on the issues of playing the ball out from the back when players are unfamiliar with one another.

“That is when you get caught between the two styles of wanting to play out and maybe not having the full idea or the amount of time at international level to actually really work on that so everyone knows where to go and how to react when things happen,” said Gordon. “It got caught in the middle of the pitch where you don’t want to get caught and they punished us. It definitely wasn’t my worst throw but in saying that it was probably a little bit tight and we paid the price for it.”

That goal was just the start of it. Eden Hazard lashed in a furious effort before Michy Batshuayi added a brace. It was Hazards’ effort, though, that is likely to stay with Gordon.

“That was one of the quickest shots I’ve ever had to deal with – he hit it so hard,” said the keeper. “I pride myself on my reflexes and that I can react very quickly but that one was the hardest shot I’ve ever had to face.

“The ball actually flicked through my hair before I could get my hand up – and I always think that, no matter how hard the shot is, I’ll always be able to protect my face – and another area of my body – but I couldn’t do that there.

“One of their players had just run in front of my view immediately before that so I didn’t get too see the ball too clearly, which didn’t help. I’m not sure their player wasn’t offside as well but it wasn’t given and it was some strike. It would have been interesting to get a speed gun on it because the reaction time between him hitting the ball and it going past me couldn’t have been very long.”

The immediate concern, though, is Celtic. The Parkhead side take on St Mirren tonight in Paisley, the first in a sequence of seven games in the next four weeks and Gordon has his sights set on working up some momentum before the next international break in October.

“Everyone has had that international break and the guys here have had the chance to train and get a bit of a rest,” he said. “The guys who have been away have been able to get another few games and the guys who haven’t been playing too often have been able to get some games with their country. Everyone is looking fit and well and ready to go. It is a busy time but we have a good squad that is ready for that.”