Lee tips duo for Scotland

BRISTOL CITY manager Lee Johnson insists Jamie Paterson and Joe Bryan are good enough to play for Scotland.

Striker Paterson, who was called up to the Scotland Under-21 squad in 2012, and left-back Bryan both played prominent roles in Wednesday’s stunning Carabao Cup quarter-final 2-1 victory over a starstudded Manchester United team.

Bristol-born Bryan opened the scoring for the Championship with an emphatic finish that found the top corner of the net.

Both players are eligible to play for Scotland and former Hearts and Kilmarnock midfielder Johnson reckons past international managers have been too ‘stubborn’ to select the pair.

He said: “I spoke to (former Scotland manager) Gordon Strachan about this. We’ve got two players who, in my opinion, unbelievably should be playing for Scotland.

“Joe Bryan can play for Scotland or England. England are looking at him as well on a regular basis.

“I am very surprised he hasn’t been pulled into a squad at least because he can play in a number of positions and he is a top, top player.

“We will probably have to fend off bids from Premier League clubs for him in January, or certainly in the summer.

“In my opinion he is definitely an international player.

“You saw Jamie Paterson against Manchester United.

“He is another who should at least be given a go in the friendlies.

“I honestly believe that athletically and technically, they are right up there with the players Scotland have got.”

Johnson, whose side are third in the league, added: “I really do think that sometimes there is a stubbornness from international managers not to pick players who are maybe at unfashionable clubs.

“All of a sudden you will see Joe and Jamie go to Premier League clubs and they will be in the next squad.

“That is madness. Get them in and have a look. It raises the profile of the player, and also they will see that they are good enough.”