Shanks has ‘a great opportunity’ to start for Scotland, says coach Carver
Lawrence Shankland has a priceless opportunity to establish himself as Scotland’s first-choice striker for this summer’s European Championship. National coaching staff say they are open-minded about who will start the tournament as their principal attacker, with Hearts captain Shankland competing against Southampton’s Ché Adams and Queens Park Rangers’ Lyndon Dykes.
Scotland assistant coach John Carver watched Shankland several times in recent months and is impressed by his record of 28 goals in 41 games this season. He is in the squad alongside Adams and Dykes for upcoming friendlies against Netherlands on Friday and Northern Ireland next Tuesday as the Scots step up preparations for Germany. Shankland was a late call-up to replace Adams in the previous squad last November, but now he is in the initial group.
Carver stressed that Shankland will get game time over the coming days to show manager Steve Clark his capabilities. “Shanks has got a great opportunity. He has come from nowhere, basically, within the group. He is like the latest addition,” said Carver.
“He has always been there hanging around but it has always been Dyksey and Ché. Because of how well he has been doing in the league, it might put a bit of pressure on the other two and it might make them perform. They will have to perform to their best and play better.
“I have seen him quite a bit. I have spent a lot of time up here. The one thing about him is he is a goalscorer. He is not going to work the channels or go and press people. He comes alive when the ball comes in the box and that could be a huge asset. With the players we have, if you have someone who likes to score goals, then that’s how you win games – especially tight games like we will have in the Euros.
“It is a great opportunity for him. I talk about competitiveness, and I am digressing a bit here, but I have seen how competitive the four goalkeepers are. We know we can only take three goalkeepers on the plane. I have seen it a little bit with the strikers now because there are three strikers there vying for that position. We haven’t scored too many goals recently, we have conceded quite a few but not scored too many. Shansky might be thinking: ‘I’ve got an opportunity here.’ I am sure he will get that opportunity over the two games.”
A knee injury to Luton Town’s Jacob Brown leaves one less competitor for Shankland to worry about. “Absolutely, that’s how it works. That is how [Ryan] Porteous got in, because of the injuries we had before we played Ukraine. It is an opportunity for him, for sure. Like I say, with the dynamic of the team and the way the team play now, we need someone who is going to score goals.”
While focus is firmly on the Euros, staff are also planning for the future. That means scouting emerging strikers who could challenge for caps after the tournament. One is Ryan Hardie, the Stranraerborn forward who has scored 13 goals in 37 games for English Championship club Plymouth Argyle this season.
“We have had a few people looking at that situation along with many others. I think it is important you never stop looking and searching. That’s how it should be,” said Carver. “If people think they are comfortable getting a place in the squad then they become relaxed. So we want to just make sure that there’s a competitive edge at that top end of the field. Yeah, we have been to see him [Hardie] and we have watched his performances. You have to, of course you do. We will never stop looking.”
He comes alive when the ball comes in the box and that could be a huge asset