Aberdeen’s Lewis Ferguson can keep his World Cup dream alive alive by impressing at club level, insists boss Stephen Glass.
Midfielder Ferguson, 22, is in the Scotland squad for the crunch World Cup qualifiers against Moldova on Friday and group leaders Denmark on Monday.
Scotland will secure a play-off spot with a Group F game to spare if they defeat minnows Moldova in Chisinau.
Should the Scots, as expected, see off the group’s bottom nation they will be only a play-off semi-final and final in March away from booking a spot at the World Cup.
With the bid to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1998 still alive, competition for places will be fierce in national manager Steve Clarke’s squad.
Pittodrie boss Glass insists Ferguson must shine at club level this season to retain hopes of featuring in the play-offs – and hopefully the World Cup in Qatar.
Glass said: “With World Cup year coming up it is massive for Lewis.
“The belief Lewis has got from putting together a number of caps and making the squads feels like consistency at the moment.
“Lewis knows, like we talked about in the summer, performances at Aberdeen are what gets you into the international squad.
“The challenge for him is to keep it going and make sure he stays in that international squad.”
Scotland’s training camp in Spain
Ferguson has spent the last week training with the Scotland squad in the heat of Spain at the La Finca resort.
They will jet out to Chisinau to face a Moldovan side that have secured just one point in Group F – a home draw against the Faroe Islands.
👊 A good day of work in Spain.
To everyone making their way to Chișinău – we can't wait to see you on Friday. Safe travels!#MDASCO pic.twitter.com/td176yP2Mr
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 9, 2021
Ferguson was an unused substitute in Scotland’s laboured 1-0 defeat of Moldova at Hampden in September.
Ferguson’s Scotland breakthrough
A debut cap was secured by Ferguson a month earlier when coming on as a late substitute for Billy Gilmour in the 2-0 loss at group leaders Denmark on September 1.
He secured another cap just days later when again coming off the bench in the 1-0 defeat of Austria in Vienna.
It was a mark of the level of trust national boss Clarke has in the Aberdeen midfielder that he introduced Ferguson with five minutes remaining in such a key game.
The second seeds in Group F, Austria, were pushing forward in attack in the bid to secure a draw.
Ferguson was taken on to help see out the win and was tasked with breaking up their attacks and retaining possession.
He successfully carried out his remit as Scotland held out for a memorable 1-0 win that elevated Clarke’s side into pole position to secure a play-off spot.
Debut cap after unsettled summer
Ferguson’s ascent into the Scotland squad came after an unsettled summer for the midfielder.
Aberdeen rejected a bid of £2m from English Premier League Watford for Ferguson in May this year.
Ferguson subsequently slapped in a written transfer request, which was also rejected by the Dons.
Ferguson recently admitted he suffered sleepless nights worrying about his future as the summer window stretched out.
He found solace in training and playing – the only escape from the uncertainty.
📺 We have you covered on every angle of Lewis Ferguson's match winner at Pittodrie on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/JuQwX0mUSP
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) November 2, 2021
The window closed with Ferguson, contracted to Aberdeen until summer 2024, still at Pittodrie.
He marked his first game since submitting a transfer request by netting twice in a 5-1 Europa Conference League defeat of BK Hacken on July 22.
Ferguson, who started the 2-0 loss to Motherwell at the weekend, has scored six times this season.
‘A lot of people would like that in their team’
Glass hailed his attacking prowess and insists Ferguson is a player that brings a dynamic many clubs would like.
He said: “Lewis has shown that all round midfield player ability to get forward and score goals.
“Lewis also helps the team defensively and with an energy that he can keep going for 90 minutes every week.
“A lot of people would like that in their team.”