I’ll Russell up the air miles to play for my country no matter how far it is

Johnny Russell insists he’ll travel to the ends of the earth to play for Scotland after a mammoth journey to make it for Friday night’s defeat to Belgium.

The striker was a second-half substitute as the Scots fell to a 4- 0 loss against Roberto Martinez’s side at Hampden.

Based at American MLS outfit Sporting Kansas City, Russell travels further than anyone to link up for the national side.

And the 28-year-old revealed his journey back to the States after Monday’s Nations League clash with Albania will take 18 hours.

But he is adamant it matters little when it comes to pulling on the dark blue jersey.

Russell said: “My f light back, with connections, is roughly 18 hours.

“It’s a bit of a trek but I said at the time when I was asked, there’s no distance I wouldn’t travel to play for my country.

“It’s always the greatest honour you can get to put on that shirt.

“It’s only travel. It’s not too bad, they look after you well.

“They take care of what you need and what your body needs.”

Russell’s success across the Atlantic has left him with some tricky decisions to make.

Kansas City currently sit in the top six of the MLS Western Conference.

This means that if they keep up their form they may qualify for the Conference play-offs – which run parallel to Scotland’s fixtures in November.

But for Russell, Scotland takes top priority – even if he misses his side’s run to a potential cup final.

He said: “The play- offs run through November. So obviously if I get the chance to get called up for the games in November, they will clash.

“It’s going to be an awkward one. You have to play for your country. Even if you didn’t want to, I consider it the rule.

“Playing for your country, any opportunity you get, you have to take it.

“It’s not a long career and to look back and say that you played for your country – that’s going to be one of the top

honours in your career. “It’s going to be a difficult one, that’s one for the managers to sort out if it comes to that. I’ll stay out of it! The main thing is getting to the play-offs first.

“We’ve got seven games left. I’ll fly back after the game on Monday then fly out again.

“It will be a difficult run- in but it’s exciting. It’s different for me, a different format to play in. It’s exciting times and we’re in a great position.”

Russell played up front alongside Steven Naismith for the final 20 minutes of the friendly clash against the Belgians.

And he reckons that despite a tendency for gaffer Alex McLeish to play a lone forward, his best work is done with a strike partner.

The former Dundee United ace also believes there were lessons to be learned in Friday’s defeat.

Russell said: “When I played with United I always played in a two and when I went to England I had to change my game.

“I’m not the biggest of guys so it is good to have a partner up there. I feel that is my best position.

“It was always going to be difficult. Any mistake you make at this level gets punished by a team like that.

“Belgium showed how ruthless they can be and it’s a lesson for us. It’s a difficult loss to take – any loss is. But we’ve got to put things in perspective, how good a team they are. We can look at it, see the mistakes we’ve made, and try to get rid of them.”