PLAY AS YOU LEARN
Shinnie relishes prospect of facing stars
ABERDEEN skipper Graeme Shinnie admits he can’t wait to continue his international education against a star-studded Belgium side next week.
The midfielder earned his first two Scotland caps in the end-of-season trip to Peru and Mexico and has held on to his place in Alex McLeish’s latest squad.
Now he’s ready to push on and make an impact in next Friday’s friendly with the Belgians to press his claims for a start in the UEFA Nations League clash against Albania.
Roberto Martinez’s Red Devils came within a whisker of glory at the World Cup this summer, losing in the semis to eventual winners France.
And although Shinnie is no novice at the age of 27 he insists you’re never too old to learn from the best.
As he looked ahead to facing stars such as Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku, Shinnie said: “At international level you come up against very good players and top teams.
“You’re going to learn so much from it – just being there and being involved will be so helpful.
“I am hopeful I can get another cap to go with the two I have already but just the experience of being there will help me. I am getting older but I am still learning all the time.”
Scotland’s jaunt to the Americas at the end of a gruelling campaign was widely criticised and a host of stars pulled out of the tour.
But Shinnie was never going to pass up the chance to fulfil his boyhood dream of pulling on a dark blue jersey.
The Dons star said: “When I went away in the summer with the national team I enjoyed the trip.
“I tried to work as hard as I possibly could and I was eager to get my first two caps under my belt as I wanted to impress.
“I didn’t want it to be a one off.”
Before Shinnie can turn his attention back towards the international scene he faces a tough clash with Steve Clarke’s Kilmarnock at club level on Saturday.
He said: “Kilmarnock will want to do a job on us, we were their bogey team last year so we must be ready.”
FULHAM star Tom Cairney has pulled out of the Scotland squad with an ankle injury. The midfielder turned his ankle in the Premier League victory over Burnley and has been ruled out of this week’s meeting with Brighton. Meanwhile, Hamburg’s David Bates has been drafted into the Under-21s squad as a replacement for John Souttar and Frank Ross replaces his Aberdeen team-mate Scott Wright.