Lawrence Shankland added Greenock Morton to the list of teams he's destroyed single-handedly this season.

An explosive hat-trick for the Dundee United man helped his side dismantle the Ton 6-0 on Saturday afternoon.

It's no longer coincidence.

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Well, not that it ever really was.

Shankland managed 29 goals in 33 games during his first season at Ayr United in 2017/18.

A year later he bagged 34 in 41.

This term, so far, he's scored 15 goals in just 12 matches.

He's more than proven himself.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say - with all respect to the Scottish Championship - that Shankland is way past proving himself at that level, and is now simply showing off.

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Meanwhile Scotland in that time have played 17 games and scored just 19 goals.

Their striking options consist of Steven Naismith, Johnny Russell, Oli McBurnie and Leigh Griffiths.

Of the 19 goals only four have been scored by a combination of the above four players.

Naismith has two while Russell and Griffiths have one each.

Scotland's top scorer from the 17 games is winger James Forrest with five.

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They're virtually out of the Euro 2020 qualifying group after some poor results and have games coming up against Russia, San Marino, Cyprus and Kazakhstan to try and save face.

So, with little to lose, it begs the question: Why not blood Shankland now and see what he's got on the big stage?

Yes, I do understand there is a significant step-up in competition between our second tier level of football and the international stage.

Yes, there's also proven Premier League players who'd be mixing with the front man who are miles ahead.

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But what would be the harm in trying him out? We've already seen the players we consider, or at least accept, to be good enough fail.

Time and time again.

There's literally no earthly reason in my mind that can justify NOT putting Shankland in the squad.

At least allow him the opportunity to see what it's like to train with would-be Scotland teammates.

All it would do is improve him as a player.

Having met and spoke to him a number of times while he was at Morton, there doesn't seem to be an ego to him.

He won't all of a sudden begin to believe his own hype or become billy big bollocks.

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Ultimately, Shankland won't be at Dundee United forever.

He'll end up down south playing his football. Or he'll go on to sign for one of Scotland's bigger clubs.

He has been linked with the likes of Hearts and Rangers in the past, after all.

So go on, Steve Clarke.

Strike while the iron's hot. And while Shankland is on fire.