Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine is daring to dream of a first Scotland call-up.
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke is facing a defensive shortage ahead of this month’s crucial Euro 2020 play-off against Israel after Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna and Hearts’ John Souttar both suffered season-ending injuries last weekend.
Dons manager Derek McInnes urged Clarke to consider McKenna’s teammate Considine after a series of impressive displays in a red shirt.
Ahead of today’s meeting with Hibernian at Pittodrie, Considine said: “It is every player’s dream to play for their country and I just need to keep playing consistently, chipping in with the odd goal and hopefully there is the potential a call might come.
“There are a lot of fantastic centre halves and left-backs out there that play for Scotland but if the call was to come I could never say no.
“I would be over the moon for myself and my family. It is the Scotland manager’s decision at the end of the day so we will just need to wait and see.
“I read the manager’s comments before the Kilmarnock game and that was great to see.
“It shows the manager thinks I am doing a good enough job for Aberdeen that I would warrant a Scotland call-up. It is up to Steve Clarke and it is his decision.”
Considine represented his country at the 2007 Under-20 World Cup and was capped four times at under-21 level but would love to add a full cap to his collection when Israel visit Hampden on March 26.
He said: “I was at the under-20 World Cup in Canada. I didn’t play the first game when we lost to Japan 3-0,
“I played against Nigeria and Costa Rica and was then straight back on the plane. That was an incredible place.
“I’m sure Efe Ambrose played for that Nigeria team.
“It was played on Vancouver Island, which was a beautiful part of the world.
“It was an incredible experience to Archie Gemmill and Tommy Wilson.
“We had some good players in that squad with Mark Reynolds, Steven Fletcher, Lee Wallace and Robert Snodgrass. We had a lot of boys who have gone on to have fantastic careers.”
Considine’s immediate focus is helping Aberdeen get back to winning ways on home soil.
The Dons have endured a torrid run on their own patch with four successive defeats at Pittodrie.
The 32-year-old hopes they can end their wait for a win when Hibernian make the trip north this afternoon.
He added: “It is not like us. The first five months we were really solid at home.
“We need to bring that home form back to give the punters something to cheer about.
“It is pretty tight between three or four teams.
“We have nine games left and if we can get six wins that would cement it for us.
“We have to go down to Motherwell and we’ll end up playing them twice.
“Hibs is huge for us.
“I feel they have improved under Jack Ross and especially going forward they are a massive threat and we will need to be on our toes.
“If we get the right result then it will set us up for Motherwell.”