Defender is out to catch Clarke’s eye

JACK HENDRY admits he has his heart set on earning a recall to the Scotland squad in time for Euro 2020.

Currently on loan at KV Oostende from Celtic, the 25-year-old is fit again and playing regularly in Belgium.

Capped three times by Alex McLeish following his £1.5million transfer from Dundee to Celtic, Hendry looked set for a solid international future but hasn’t featured since a friendly defeat to Portugal in October 2018.

Scotland next play in March when the World Cup qualifiers start with a home tie against Austria and Hendry, 25, hopes to catch boss Steve Clarke’s eye.

He said: ‘Hopefully, the fact I’m back playing at a good standard against international-level strikers is recognised.

‘All I can do is play well and work as hard as possible to make that a hard decision when the Euros come round.

‘It’s definitely something that’s on my mind and that I’m striving towards.

‘When I played for Scotland that was my highest achievement. I had dreamed about it since I was a wee boy. To represent my country again would be a privilege.’

Hendry has been playing in the middle of a back three for Oostende, a role that fits comfortably within Clarke’s new preferred Scotland formation. And, with the majority of Clarke’s incumbent defenders being left-sided, Hendry hopes he can offer something different.

He noted: ‘There is an opportunity there — we don’t have so many right-footed defenders and it probably suits me that the team has moved to a back three, too.

‘I play that week in, week out and can play anywhere across the three.

‘Hopefully, I can get into that squad and make that position my own.’

Hendry has also backed his Celtic team-mates to get their 10-in-a-row bid back on track.

The defender admits he has found it hard to watch friends like Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie struggle to keep pace with Rangers this term but insisted: ‘These boys are good enough and experienced enough to come through difficult times.

‘These lads love the pressure. I’m sure they will come out the other end of it and get back to what they have done over previous seasons.’