Scott was flying high after Ayr
Michael Rose never doubted that fellow Ayr United outcast Scott McKenna had the qualities to reach the big time.
The pair shared the bench at Somerset Park in 2016, Rose after being booted from Aberdeen and McKenna on loan from the Dons.
Their prospects seemed bleak as they struggled for first-team football – but four years later both are now high flyers in the English Championship.
Coventry defender Rose was always confident both would go on to bigger, better things.
McKenna scored in Nottingham Forest’s 2-1 win over Coventry in midweek and could be handed a 17th cap in Serbia as Scotland aim for next summer’s Euros.
Rose would love to join him in Steve Clarke’s central defence and it’s a far cry from their dark times together at Ayr.
Rose said: ‘I recall that time well. We were both kind of in the same boat in quite a negative way.
“It was good to have each
other’s company. We’d go to the gym together after games and take out our frustrations there when we hadn’t played.
“I was wondering where my career was going at that stage.
“It is pretty tough but you just need to keep going. The worst thing to do is stop.
“That’s when your mental toughness and having a good attitude comes in. I think we both had that.
“We knew if we kept doing the right things and stuck at it then something would come up.”
While Rose bounced back to win League One after Ayr turned ful l- time, McKenna broke through in spectacular fashion in 2017/18 with an Aberdeen first team call-up in September and four Scotland caps by June.
Rose said: “Scotty just keeps getting better and better. Now he’s playing for a big club in England and for his country.
“You could tell he had the mindset to succeed, the drive to get there.
“Playing for Scotland is definitely one of my targets.
‘ I just need to focus on club football and try to keep my performances really high.”