Daily Record

Hornby on right track after move to Belgium

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OTLAND... COME ON SCOTLAND... COME ON SCOTLAND... COME ON SCOTLAND... COME ON SCOTLAND... COME ON SCOTLAND... COME ON SCOTLAND... COME ON BY GORDON WADDELL FRASER HORNBY knew a loan to the Championsh­ip would fast-track him to attention in England – but the Everton kid is thrilled he took the path less travelled to Belgium instead.

The Scotland U21 striker scored his first senior goals last weekend for KV Kortrijk in the Jupiler Pro League.

And an impressive display in midweek showcasing his range of talents at Tynecastle, despite a frustratin­g 0-0 draw with Lithuania, was evidence enough the 20-year-old’s train is ready to leave the station.

Tall, mobile, physical and intelligen­t, Hornby looks like he has all the attributes to be an asset for Steve Clarke in the long-term as well as Scot Gemmill in the shortterm as the babes chase a first finals place in more than 20 years.

The Goodison frontman played a key role in David Unsworth’s U23 side’s double last season.

And as the Scots head to the Czech Republic unbeaten for a key Group 4 clash on Monday, Hornby said: “Going to Belgium has helped me enormously.

“Not just playing regular first-team football but picking up little tricks from the senior players and playing abroad, it helps me coming into internatio­nals.

“There were clubs in England I could have gone to but I wanted to taste the football culture somewhere else.

“I thought the top league in Belgium has a lot of good teams.

“When I went over I spoke to the manager and it was clear to me it would be a good decision.

“I also spoke to Yannick Bolasie because he went to Anderlecht last season on loan. He told me if I got regular game-time my game would definitely improve – and he was right.” SCOTLAND... COME ON SCOTLAND... COME

 ??  ?? PAIN GAME Snodgrass, John McGinn and John Fleck, right, endure another night of heartache in Russia as boss Clarke, below right, searches for a way to lift his shattered squad LOAN DEAL Striker Hornby
PAIN GAME Snodgrass, John McGinn and John Fleck, right, endure another night of heartache in Russia as boss Clarke, below right, searches for a way to lift his shattered squad LOAN DEAL Striker Hornby

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