Playmaker Chris Mochrie wasn’t expecting the call from Scot Gemmill so soon after joining Dunfermline Athletic.
Mochrie represented his national team through the age groups but turned 19 in April.
He was called up by the under-21s in August last year but had to pull out due to injury.
Pars boss James McPake has monitored the progress of the player for years and identified him as key loan target.
Mochrie scored from the bench on his Dunfermline debut at FC Edinburgh and has since made himself a key part of McPake’s side.
Mochrie’s debut goal:
Even still, he wasn’t expecting the call from Gemmill so soon.
Mochrie ‘delighted’
“I wasn’t looking for the call-up,” said Mochrie. “I had been with the 19s and I’m too old for that now but I wasn’t really thinking about the 21s.
“I have just come on loan here so I was delighted when I heard but I didn’t really expect it.
#SCO21s | Scot Gemmill has named his Scotland squad for our upcoming friendly double header against Northern Ireland 🏴
➡️ Read more: https://t.co/QtGlv8At2J#YoungTeam
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) September 8, 2022
“I was in an under-21 squad but had to pull out of it through injury so hopefully I can stay the full way and a couple of games against Northern Ireland will be a great experience for me.”
Mochrie – on loan from Dundee United – was key in the win over Queen of the South as McPake flipped the midfield triangle.
The manager was rightly pleased for his player.
Mochrie’s subsequent second-half performance in Saturday’s draw with Falkirk had McPake labelling him “the best player on the park by a country mile”.
Mochrie’s brilliant run versus Falkirk:
Fellow summer signing Chris Hamilton has had to sit on the bench recently, despite an impressive start to his own Pars career.
Friends reunited
Mochrie is pleased his “pal” and former United teammate Lewis Neilson has also been rewarded for some excellent form after his summer move to Hearts.
“I know a few of the boys and it is good for me to be called up, it recognises my performances so hopefully I can do well to impress both clubs.
“I have only spoken to Scot Gemmill a few times so it will be my first time really meeting him.
“It gives you that confidence, knowing that you have been playing well.
“Hopefully I can just enjoy my first time with the under-21s. I am looking forward to it. I always enjoy the Scotland camps”
Scotland under-21 take on Northern Ireland in a double-header on Thursday and Sunday.
Conversation