Fair dinkum if Lyndon shows he’s Scot the lot
LYNDON DYkes passes the first test. Actually wanting to represent scotland? A good start. When you consider the number of ‘homegrown’ players who have blown hot and cold on that pretty basic requirement over the years, Dykes is to be commended for committing himself to a professional lifetime of Tartan Army appraisal, assessment and — he hopes — more applause than abuse.
And think on this. The QPR striker may well be the man who fires scotland to their first major finals since 19-sodding-98.
Quite frankly, if he improves our chances of reaching the delayed euro 2020 finals by even ten per cent, he’s going to be a more than welcome addition to the squad.
True, Dykes was born on the Gold Coast. It’s genuinely hard to imagine a less scottish environment than that particular stretch of Aussie beachfront property — a long, narrow strip of suburbs with names like Miami, Broadbeach and surfers Paradise.
His big sister Hollie is also an Aussie sporting legend, the gymnast topping the podium four times as part of the green-andgold medal haul at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
But, if you really want to wander down the nevercomfortable path of bloodlines and ‘real’ scots, both of Dykes’ parents are from Dumfries.
Which means he’s also got more of a claim to scottish heritage than one or two very popular recruits of the modern era.
Regardless, his desire to be a scot — even though he’s just moved from West Lothian to London — makes him one of us.
Consider the approach taken on this issue by sean Connery, who celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday.
According to the late Barry Norman, the legendary film critic, sir sean always believed that any character he portrayed was either scottish — or had suffered a terrible misfortune of birth.
An injustice he was determined to put right on the silver screen.
As for whether Dykes has international star potential, well, it’s still too early to say.
While he’s had some eyecatching performances in big games, you wouldn’t cap every eligible centre-forward who rushed Christopher Jullien into a misplaced pass or unbalanced clearance.
The former Livingston forward is something of a throwback, though. If not exactly the heir to Joe Jordan, at least as likely an option as Oli McBurnie or Lawrence shankland.
The fact that steve Clarke has taken his time to get this bit of international recruitment done, cleverly refusing to pressure Dykes (below) into a quick decision, also says something.
The scotland boss doesn’t seem like the kind of gaffer to make snap judgments.
It’s hard to imagine him capping someone just to fend off interest from another national team.
Do we feel sorry for the socceroos? Of course. But they’ve still got Martin Boyle.
On the wider issue of flexible nationality, you still probably wouldn’t want our football team to go full rugby union.
At the moment, most fans probably support the gentleman’s agreement between Home Nations. even though the ‘granny rule’ contained within it is more restrictive than FIFA regulations. But the sFA have been proactive on this front over the years, pushing through exceptions for players who go through the scottish school system. They did it because it’s only right to recognise kids whose families have made their lives in scotland. But also because it doesn’t make sense to ignore talent on your own doorstep. Nobody would complain if we found an Alphonso Davies in our midst — born to Liberian parents in a Ghanaian refugee camp, yet destined to be a star of the Canadian national team for the next 15 years.
even if he is another left-back. In the meantime, maybe the Dykes clan can whip up a right-back — our kingdom for a right-back! — with scottish heritage back in the land where, to quote one of Australia’s most revered national poets, beer does flow and men chunder.
The place is positively overrun with self-proclaimed scots.
suntanned, fair of hair, speaking in that delightful Aussie inflection that makes even the most emphatic of statements sound like an uncertain query, they’re unfailingly welcoming. especially to folk from this corner of the world.
As soon as they hear the accent, they’ll ask: ‘Yer from scotland?
‘Aw yeah? I’m scottish? Well, my grandmother was? she was born in a place called Gary-ock? But I think her family were from Browtee Fairy?’
Honestly, mate? If you can do a stint at centre-half, the only place names you need to master are Hampden. And, fingers crossed, Wembley.