Lawrence Shankland has admitted he is gutted to have missed the start of the new Scotland era under head coach Sebastien Pocognoli, but the Rangers striker is determined to force his way back into the squad in the new year.
The Rangers captain has yet to speak to the new national boss but revealed he tuned in to watch the Nations League matches over the last three weeks. Pocognoli's reign has begun with defeats to Slovenia and Switzerland at Hampden, with the only win coming away to North Macedonia.
Shankland targeting March return
Shankland is itching to get involved as he continues his injury rehabilitation and has set his sights on being part of the squad early next year.
He said: "Obviously there's changes in system, formations, and obviously a lot of personnel in there as well. And of course you always want to be out there on the pitch every chance you can get to play for the team. So it's disappointing to miss out on the camp and just not have the opportunity to be involved.
"It's kind of been taken away from you, that's the hardest bit. But I'll get myself fit as quick as possible, and hopefully it'll be the March camp that I could possibly be a part of, to get myself involved there."
Positive signs amid mixed results
On the new manager's ideas, Shankland said: "I haven't had the chance to speak to them, obviously not being in the national team, not been available for that. But I think throughout the games you could see there was a lot of ideas there that the boys were trying to implement.
"It's a lot more difficult to implement in games than it is in training, and I understand that, being a player. These things take a bit of time. There was a lot of boys in the squad that weren't at the last camp as well. All these kinds of things can add up and leave that wee bit of uncertainty around the squad at the time.
"Obviously you're judged on results, and having four games back to back, you lose a couple at home, it always feels really, really disappointing. But I think in the long term, as I said, things will improve."
Scotland showed positive signs in the second-half performance in the 0-0 draw in Slovenia and in Skopje. The 10-man defeat to the Swiss was a sore one, but the slump against Slovenia on Tuesday set off Tartan Army alarm bells.
Shankland said: "Obviously a mixed bag in terms of results. The boys will obviously be disappointed coming off the back of last night, but I felt the Macedonia performance had a lot of really good parts, there were positives to take from that.
"Tuesday night probably not so much, it was a more difficult game. I thought Slovenia actually played well in the second half, but overall I don't think they would be too happy with the performance as a whole. There's always going to be teething problems at the start anyway for a new manager.
"It's early days for him, so the boys will improve. It'd been good for them to get together, get four games under the manager, a lot of new faces in the squad, and as I said, things will improve as they go on."
