I will quickly convince fans I am Scottish
IT has taken Jon McLaughlin just seven months to go from a relatively unknown footballer to being named in Alex McLeish’s squad for friendlies this month against Costa Rica and Hungary.
For the Hearts keeper, it is a dramatic development that he hopes will finally convince the doubters of his Scottish credentials.
Born in Edinburgh to Scottish parents, his family moved to Saudi Arabia when McLaughlin was an infant before eventually resettling in Harrogate.
Upon his return to his native city when he moved to Tynecastle last summer, his Yorkshire accent threw people off the scent of his heritage. But proud Scot McLaughlin, 30, could not be happier after being named as one of three goalkeepers in the Scotland squad, alongside Hull City’s Allan McGregor and Jordan Archer of Millwall.
‘I’m glad I didn’t have to start putting on a fake accent to convince people I am Scottish,’ laughed McLaughlin.
‘But even some people here at the club have been asking our goalkeeping coach Paul Gallacher: “What’s Jon’s connection to Scotland?”.
‘I think it’s because they hear my accent and also because I’ve never been involved with Scotland at any national team level before this. But I’m 100-per-cent Scottish. Everyone in my family is from Edinburgh. I was born here and all the rest of my family are here. I just don’t have the accent!
‘It’s everyone’s dream to be called up by their country. And hopefully this call-up will convince everyone that I must be Scottish.’
McLaughlin admits it was a nervy wait to see if he had made McLeish’s first squad.
‘When I played in England, I think there were a lot of people who didn’t realise I was Scottish,’ he said.
‘That’s been one benefit of joining Hearts. I’m up here and right in the centre of everything and that’s put me a bit more on the radar. But I was actually starting to get a bit nervous about the whole Scotland thing.
‘People were starting to talk about me and Scotland — and if it hadn’t happened I’d have had to keep my head down.
‘But I was speaking to my wife before the squad was announced and I said: “I’m 30 years old and I’ve had a long career, so if I don’t get called up then nothing will have changed”. But when I came back in from training on Monday and I looked at my phone, I had a message of congratulations from my dad, Paul.
‘My phone went red hot after that, with lots of messages from family and friends. They were probably all shocked to see my name in an international squad!
‘There would have been no shame in not achieving it. But now I have been called up for Scotland, it’s brilliant and a real honour.
‘I have the opportunity to work with the national set-up and see where we go from there.’
Living in the Middle East, McLaughlin used to follow Scotland games from afar.
If anything, the distance from home meant that the ex-pats felt even more patriotic than when back in their homeland.
‘I supported Scotland and I followed all the games on the TV,’ he said. ‘I remember France ’98 was on when I was still living in Saudi but that was the summer we moved to England.
‘It was a long time ago but it would be great to see Scotland back at a major competition.
‘I’ve already spoken to the Scotland lads at Hearts like Christophe Berra and Steven Naismith, and they’ve been telling me what it’s like.’
For McLaughlin, the immediate focus before Scotland is to get Hearts back to winning ways. A Scottish Cup exit at Motherwell and a derby defeat at Easter Road has led to gathering gloom in Gorgie.
It has been a roller-coaster season at Tynecastle. But if Craig Levein’s side win their next three matches, starting with Partick Thistle at home today, they will at least be sure of a top-six finish.
‘Things have tailed off and we are disappointed,’ said McLaughlin.
‘Once again, we’ve not managed to get a result at Easter Road and it hurts us as much as it hurts the fans last Friday.
‘But now we have three cup finals coming up to make sure we get into that top six.’