This is just the McGinning says pleased Clarke

STEVE Clarke reckons the best is yet to come from Scotland hero John McGinn after watching him extend his incredible international scoring streak.

The Aston Villa midfielder struck twice either side of a Steven Naismith header to ensure Scotland brought the curtain down on their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign with a 3-1 win over Kazakhstan.

The 25-year-old now has seven goals in his last six appearances for the Scots – but boss Clarke believes he can yet mature into an even better player.

Clarke said: “John is on a fantastic run of form. He has been great for Aston Villa for the last couple of seasons and he is starting to bring it on to the international stage.

“It’s very important to remember he is still in the early stages of his international career. The more games you play at this level, the better you become, the more experience you get and the better the team will become.

“You look at someone like Steven Naismith who is a great example to them all. He plays with great experience at this level and it was great to see him get his goal as well.

“When you’ve got any player in goalscoring form that’s good for any team.

“John is the man scoring the goals now and, hopefully, we’ll get one or two more players who can do that as well.

“We’ve found a good position for John. He’s playing it very well, he and Steven Naismith are developing a decent understanding and as well as the goals, they give us a good early press and the desire to meet the opposition high up the pitch – which helps us as well.”

Scotland have had a year to forget and it looked like 2019 was going to end on yet another downer when Baktiyor Zaynutdinov s mashed the Kazakhs ahead.

But McGinn’s deflected free-kick just after the interval drew them level before Naismith bundled the ball home on 63 minutes to nudge the hosts ahead.

Former St Mirren and Hibs ace McGinn completed the win – the Scots’ third in a row – in stoppage time to ensure Clarke’s side can