From reject to leading Scotland's line - the Shankland story

Seven years ago, Lawrence Shankland was not judge wherever to move next.

Released by Aberdeen astatine nan property of 21, nan once-promising striker was near scratching astir to find a early successful football.

Fast guardant to nan coming day, and location is simply a existent anticipation nan Heart of Midlothian skipper could lead nan statement for Scotland successful nan opening crippled of Euro 2024 against Germany successful beforehand of 75,000 fans successful Munich’s Allianz Arena.

As nan spotlight of a awesome tourney is group to beryllium switched on, who is nan man who could spell from home cull to world inspiration?

The 28-year-old has scored piles of goals successful nan Scottish Premiership. It is what he does.

But arsenic he headed location from adjacent scope successful nan nationalist team's last warm-up crippled against Finland connected Friday, a peculiarly large grin appeared crossed his face.

He knew nan value of scoring correct earlier Euro 2024, but connected a individual note, nan decorativeness carried much weight.

The transverse that Shankland instinctively sniffed retired was from nan footwear of his skipper Andy Robertson - and it was a regular Hampden Park had witnessed before, erstwhile nan brace came done together astatine Queen’s Park.

At that clip a part-time squad successful Scotland's 4th tier, Shankland besides worked successful a building mill to thief salary nan bills.

As nan number 9 joked aft nan Finland friendly, he “lost track” of nan Liverpool left-back for a while.

One was helping to bring nan Champions League and Premier League to Anfield. While nan other…

Shankland had built a promising estimation erstwhile was offered a move to Aberdeen astatine a clip erstwhile nan Pittodrie nine were Celtic’s nearest challengers.

But disappointing indebtedness spells astatine Dunfermline Athletic, St Mirren and Greenock Morton followed, earlier Aberdeen decided to trim ties pinch nan striker having made conscionable 17 appearances for nan Dons.

“I had thing astatine all,” Shankland told BBC Scotland. “It was tough. I was conscionable asking for tests present and there.

“It was astir apt my mentality, to beryllium honorable [that held him back]. Confidence was ne'er thing I had arsenic a kid, but it seems to person developed arsenic I’ve sewage older.

"You request to backmost yourself, you request to judge successful yourself.”

While Shankland needed to judge successful himself, he besides needed personification other to judge successful him.

Enter Ayr United head Ian McCall, a seasoned head of Scotland’s little leagues.

After failing to bring Shankland to nan Championship broadside connected indebtedness a fewer months earlier McCall sewage a 2nd chance erstwhile nan striker agreed to meet him successful a work position car park

But nan striker did not show.

“Morton phoned maine arsenic I was connected my measurement and I changed my mind and went there,” Shankland explained.

“Ian very easy could person held a grudge but thankfully he gave maine different chance. He recognised location was thing successful location he liked.”

And really correct he was proved. Shankland became nan talk of nan Scottish little leagues, scoring 63 goals successful 74 games for nan Somerset Park side.

McCall's determination to put speech immoderate annoyance astatine being stood up was quickly proved to beryllium wise.

“If I had taken that to heart, I would person trim disconnected my chemoreceptor to spite my face,” he said.

“I could consciousness he had a hunger successful him. He’s sewage a awesome family, very grounded. He’s a leader and a goalscorer.”

As Scottish shot buzzed astir nan feline scoring practically each week for Ayr, location was regular speculation of wherever he would onshore next.

Plenty of eyebrows were raised erstwhile Shankland elected to enactment successful nan 2nd tier by moving to title favourites Dundee United, against whom he had scored 4 goals successful a crippled nan erstwhile season.

The striker said United were nan "biggest club" that came calling and that he relished nan situation of getting them backmost to wherever they felt they belong.

He did conscionable that, scoring 24 goals successful 26 convention games. Title won. Job done.

He moreover managed a Scotland call-up from nan 2nd tier.

Clarke wanted to cognize a spot much astir Shankland earlier welcoming him into nan squad, truthful he phoned erstwhile Rangers midfielder McCall.

“I told him – ‘aye, he’s a goalscorer, but erstwhile you spot him successful training, you’ll realise conscionable really bully he is technically’,” he said.

“Steve phoned maine later and told maine I was right.”

A Covid-impacted first play successful nan Premiership was acold from stellar, but that was much a consequence of United’s wider failings than Shankland’s shortcomings.

As a result, it was unsurprising erstwhile talk astir his adjacent move surfaced, and he yet signed for Belgian broadside Beerschot.

“It was a wee spot messy astatine times,” Shankland said of his stint abroad. “They had 3 changes of manager.

"The nine conscionable recovered themselves successful a difficult play and I was location astatine nan incorrect time.”

So, it was clip to travel home. And since he has, Shankland has not looked back.

Fifty-nine goals successful 2 seasons astatine Hearts has emphasised his position arsenic nan astir objective striker successful Scottish football.

His power does not conscionable travel successful goals either, pinch Shankland mounting standards aft being made skipper this word arsenic nan Edinburgh broadside cruised to a third-place finish.

It is this shape that turned nan chat astir nan striker from ‘should Shankland to beryllium connected nan plane?’ to ‘should Shankland commencement against Germany?’

In nan absence of nan injured Lyndon Dykes, it seems Clarke has a toss-up betwixt nan Hearts striker and Southampton guardant Che Adams for nan number 9 short successful Munich against Germany.

In nan position of McCall - nan man Shankland credits for restoring his faltering profession - nan striker will find a measurement to make his people successful astatine slightest 1 of nan cities and 1 of nan opponents.

“He’ll commencement astatine slightest 1 of nan games," he said. "Leading nan statement against Germany wouldn’t faze him, but he’ll get his opportunity astatine immoderate point.

“And erstwhile he does, I wouldn’t beryllium amazed 1 spot if he scores. He’s Lawrence Shankland.”