Lawrence Shankland is keen to show he is the right man for Scotland and confesses he can't wait to don the Scotland shirt - as he thanked Rangers hero Ally McCoist for his backing.

The striker is in red-hot form having scored 15 goals so far this season.

This earned him his first call-up to Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for their double header against Russia and San Marino.

Celtic and Rangers scouts 'watch' Lawrence Shankland notch hat-trick against Morton


Shankland was hard to ignore for Steve Clarke with Scotland being so bereft of centre forward options

And although it may be considered a gamble by some, Shankland does deserve his big chance.​
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The 24-year-old told the Daily Record: "I am playing in the Championship and that is the only thing I can affect because that is where I am playing my football. 

"All I can do is my job to the best of my abilities.​

"I just need to go and give it a go and if I get the opportunity then I need to try and take it. I just need to give it my best shot.​

“I am just looking forward to joining up with the squad to see what they have got and what level I need to get to.​

"I was just buzzing. It certainly wasn’t expecting it when the gaffer told me just before the Scotland squad was announced.​"

On McCoist's praise, Shankland humbly said: "Other people were talking about myself getting a Scotland call-up but I never really read too much into it.​

"It was flattering to hear people speak about me in the same breath as the Scotland squad but in all honesty it was nothing I had thought about.​

Lawrence Shankland and John Fleck confirmed in Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for Euro 2020 double-header


"It was good to hear somebody like Ally McCoist, who had played at the top level back me, but, as I have said, it was nothing that I was getting excited about.​

"I was just and still am focused on doing as well as I can for Dundee United. 

"I knew that was all I could affect and beyond that everything else was out of my control, but thankfully enough I have now been given the opportunity."