Whittaker: I would play any position to get a game for my country

Whittaker has dropped out of the first team at Barclays Premier League strugglers Norwich City in the last six weeks.

The former Rangers defender has not started a match for the Canaries, despite being fully fit and available for selection, since January 14.

Being stuck on the sidelines is not ideal preparation for the friendly international with Poland in Warsaw this evening.

And it is concerning with the start of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign looming on the distant horizon.

The 29-year-old admitted that not featuring for Chris Hughton's side has been unsettling.

Yet, he is confident that he can, as was the case when Hutton was frozen out at Aston Villa, still do a job for his country.

Whittaker said: "I have been stripped and involved in every game. I just haven't been playing.

"I have had spells in the team and spells out of the team this season.

"Sometimes I feel I have come out of the team when I haven't been doing anything wrong. It is just how the manager has seen it.

"I have just kept my head down, kept working hard and when an opportunity comes along to play I will try to do my best and impress.

"I have had a few runs in the team and have been doing okay and I have still found myself out of the team. It has been frustrating.

"Obviously you want to play in every game, as many games as possible. But there is only so much you can do."

He added: "Ideally, I think we would all want to be playing every minute for our clubs, but it isn't going to happen.

"Even Allan has not been playing too much at club level and whenever he has been asked to play for Scotland he has been brilliant.

"He wasn't in favour at Villa and has gone on loan to Bolton for a month. Hopefully he will look to get some minutes there.

"I think the manager [Gordon Strachan] reads a lot into training. If he sees you training well he believes you can do well in the game.

"My aim has been to try and impress in training this week. Hopefully I can be considered for the match. This friendly match is an opportunity for players like myself who aren't playing to get a chance to get some minutes. It is great for me.

"As a squad we will come together and treat it like a proper game, try and put a performance in that will continue to push us forward."

Whittaker has been primarily used as a left-back by Strachan since he took over as Scotland manager despite preferring to play on the right.

However, he has fierce rivals for that berth now with Phil Bardsley of Sunderland and Andrew Robertson of Dundee United both being called up for this game.

The 23-times capped player admitted that he faced a tough competition for a start - but stressed he would play anywhere for the national team.

He said: "Phil has always done well when he has been with Scotland. He is a good defender. I like him a lot.

"He was out of favour at Sunderland, but there were a few things going on there that were not football related.

"It is good to see him back under Gus Poyet. He has come back in, scored a few goals and looks like he is playing really well. It is good to have him back in.

"And Andrew Robertson has obviously done extremely well to get called up. It is good for Scotland to have so many good players vying for a start."

Whittaker continued: "I am a right-footed player so I tend to want to play on the right.

"But my versatility comes because I can use my left foot to a certain degree as well. It is not my strongest foot, but I can play on the left.

"When I was at Hibs and at Rangers - although I played in a few positions at Ibrox - I predominantly played at right- back and built my reputation there.

"That's my position and that is where I would like to play. But if the opportunity comes to play somewhere else I am going to take it."

"There is competition all over the squad. I think we've got a fairly young team. They're all pushing for starts. We've got a good group together just now. We're optimistic about what we can achieve."