Aird is happy the cap fits after he opted for Maple Leaf over Thistle

FRASER AIRD agonised over his decision to choose Canada over Scotland but the red jersey will sit comfortably on his shoulders when he runs out at Easter Road on Wednesday.

The Falkirk midfielder is in line to earn his fifth full cap in this week’s friendly and knows he would not be playing in the fixture had he stuck with the colours he had worn at youth levels.

As an emergent product of the Rangers academy and the son of two Scottish parents, Toronto-born Aird played for Scotland at youth levels but found himself with a huge decision to make after being wooed by the Canadian FA and offered a full cap at the tender age of 17.

‘Colin Miller called and said he was going to put me in the Gold Cup squad in 2013,’ recalled Aird. ‘I’d played with Canada before I moved to Scotland but I was in two minds.

‘I spoke to my parents but it was a big decision to make at such a young age. I figured it was best to just stay away until I was 100-per-cent certain about what I wanted to do.’

Aird sought counsel from Rangers manager Ally McCoist but it was the advice of youth coach Ian Durrant which struck a chord. ‘I had a few conversations with McCoist and I think he was trying to lean me towards Scotland,’ continued the 22-year-old. ‘But I was also close to Ian Durrant. He said I had to make the right decision for myself, not for anyone else.

‘He said I had to feel in my heart that I was happy to represent the country I was going to choose.

‘That was one of the talks that swayed me towards Canada. I feel Canadian, 100 per cent. I was born there, spent the first 16 years of my life there and that’s where I felt I should be at the end of the day.

‘I also felt like I had a better chance of first-team football and making more appearances.’

Aird eventually made his full international debut against Ghana in October 2015 and further strengthened his ties to the country of his birth when he left Rangers on a season-long loan with MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps in January of last year, having failed to force his way into Mark Warburton’s plans.

‘Playing in the MLS opened my eyes to a lot,’ said Aird (right). I was playing at right-back, learning a different position and visiting a lot of great cities and stadiums.

‘There are good teams out there but I think where I am in my career, the right move was to come back to Scotland.’

Aird featured heavily for Rangers under McCoist in the lower leagues but knew he was treading water under Warburton.

‘I played 85 games for Rangers, which is something I never ever thought would happen, so I was grateful for that,’ he said. ‘But obviously you want to play more and I felt there were times I could have got a chance and didn’t.

‘It was a shame what happened to Rangers, that we had to battle up through the leagues, but maybe I was at the club at the right time as a young boy. It would have been great to play in the top flight and prove myself.’

Aird terminated his contract at Ibrox by mutual consent in January and accepted Peter Houston’s offer to drop down a division and join promotion-chasing Falkirk.

He is there until the end of the season and will not rule out extending his contract.

‘It’s down to me and I am going to keep all my options open,’ he said. ‘Peter was very keen to get me in and we’re going for promotion. This has been a great feeding club for other teams. That’s something I was looking at. I wanted to get games, express myself and get back playing the way I can.’

Currently ranked 117th in the world, Canada have recently come under new management with Michael Findlay succeeding Benito Floro on an interim basis last autumn. Floro lost his job after failing to guide the team to next year’s World Cup finals and so Wednesday’s match will serve as a build-up to the Gold Cup.

Findlay, 53, was himself born to Scottish parents, so it is no surprise that Aird should feel an affinity.

‘This is an important game for me,’ he said. ‘It will be weird but good. Scotland is my second home. I’ve been here six years. I’m looking forward to all my friends and family being there at Easter Road, and obviously supporting Canada!

‘I’m sure the manager spent a lot of time in Scotland when he was younger, so he also has a connection. He was there when I won my first cap, so he has faith in me which is nice. ‘The boys are looking forward to the game. We know Scotland are gearing up for a qualifier, while we have the Gold Cup coming up in July. Maybe our world ranking doesn’t show how good a team we are. I think we should be a lot higher. I’d say definitely do not underestimate

us.’

Ian Durrant said to listen to my heart when deciding