St Johnstone FC midfielder Murray Davidson could be set for a dream Scotland debut against Brazil.
National team boss Craig Levein has been keeping tabs on the McDiarmid Park star, who turned 22 yesterday, ahead of the glamour friendly at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium later this month.
Davidson has been in excellent form for Saints this season and won a call-up to the friendly against the Faroe Islands in November but missed out with an ankle injury. If he is selected for the Brazil game and wins his first cap he would become St Johnstone’s first Scotland international since Sandy McLaren over 80 years ago.
Levein is well-stocked for central midfielders, with the likes of Darren Fletcher and Charlie Adam starring in the Premiership, but insists on current form Davidson would be a first pick in any other position.
He said, “Murray is a player I like a lot and he’s definitely on the radar. He’s in great form at the moment and I have been speaking to Derek and Tony Docherty about him.
“I had him in the squad before against the Faroe Islands but he was troubled with an ankle injury at the time. He’s a wee bit unlucky in that we’re well stocked for players who play in his position.
“But with the form Murray is in at the moment if he played anywhere else he would be straight in the team. He’s improving all the time and is someone I’m certainly thinking about.”
Davidson’s club manager Derek McInnes certainly believes his man is worthy of Scotland recognition, saying, “Murray has been impressive for a while, but I thought he took it to another level against Hibs. It was a couple of notches up and we were delighted to see that.
“Scotland were really impressive in winning in Dublin against Northern Ireland and that was great to see, especially as the likes of Scott Brown and Darren Fletcher were absent.
“So it’s hard to tell whether Murray will be listed again soon for the national squad. It’s not for me to say who the national manager should be picking, but Craig has been an admirer in the past and I know Murray is in his plans.
“If Murray keeps improving and builds on displays like the one against Hibs who knows where it will take him? Like everyone else he has to turn in a level of consistency.”
McInnes has been boosted in advance of the crucial weekend Scottish Cup quarter-final trip to Brechin City, with midfield duo Jody Morris and Chris Millar due to return to training today. The Perth boss was keen to stress that Danny Invincibile, Peter MacDonald, Graham Gartland and Jamie Adams have risen to the task of filling in for injured regulars of late.
He stated, “They’ve all been really good in the games against Hibs and Aberdeen. For Danny to come in and play at a high tempo twice within four days without much football under his belt is a great credit to him. I was told he was a natural athlete and he’s shown that.”
The battle for an SPL top six place is now on hold as Saints resume their chase of Scottish Cup glory.
McInnes said, “We have a lot to do now in the league, but it’s not beyond us. We will keep working hard. But for now the focus turns to the Scottish Cup and the game at Brechin.”
Meanwhile, midfielder Rikki McIntosh has joined Liam Caddis in the Scotland under-19 training squad.