Hanlon delighted to reap the reward of his consistency at Hibs

FOR Hibs defender Paul Hanlon, a senior Scotland international call-up is long overdue. The 27-year-old centre-back is one of eight uncapped players selected by interim boss Malky Mackay for the friendly against the Netherlands in Aberdeen next month. Having last pulled on the international jersey close to eight years ago in an Under-21s match in Azerbaijan, the Leith captain expressed an element of surprise when club boss Neil Lennon passed on the news after training yesterday. ‘Even when he (Neil Lennon) said it, I wasn’t too sure to be honest but I’m delighted,’ said Hanlon. ‘I didn’t think I would have a chance. A lot of people, mainly team-mates, seemed to be talking about it but it wasn’t something I thought about too much. Now it’s happened, I want to grab the opportunity with both hands.’ Mackay was at Easter Road for last week’s 1-0 victory over Hearts, when Hanlon produced another composed performance alongside Efe Ambrose to add a clean sheet to Simon Murray’s winner. A dominant display in the win at Motherwell on Saturday highlighted a consistency in his game which hasn’t gone unnoticed by Mackay or Lennon. ‘I think he’d probably have been in the Scotland squad sooner if he hadn’t been plying his trade in the Championship for three years,’ said Lennon. ‘He reads the game well and his timing in both boxes has been excellent. He’s in a good place, injury free, balanced. He handles the ball pretty well, can pass it long, short, and has good leadership abilities as well. He’s 27, coming into the best years of his career, so this should be a good shot in the arm for him.’ For Mackay, Hanlon’s physical and mental progression in recent years merited a call-up. ‘He’s someone that’s

been in the Scotland youth set-up, but has taken his time to, I suppose, fill out,’ said Mackay. ‘Taken time to understand the position, to learn to have that leadership quality. But I’m seeing all that at the moment.’ Hanlon joined Ryan Jack, James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths in the Under-21s squad when the young Scots beat Holland 2-1 away from home in 2011, so has fond memories of facing theOranje. A number of familiar names from the English Premier League featured that evening including Swansea’s Leroy Fer and Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk, but a sterner test awaits at Pittodrie. ‘There’s going to be a lot of us in there wanting to prove we should have been there a while ago,’ said Hanlon, ahead of tonight’s Premiership trip to a rejuvenated Kilmarnock with Hibs. ‘A lot of players have been knocking and not quite made it in the squad, so this is a chance to prove you deserve to be there. I think once you do well you’ve a chance to get a few caps under your belt. ‘It could be a new era for a lot of younger players pushing up.’