St Johnstone midfielder Murray Davidson has targeted a May to remember with club and country.
If all goes according to plan the 23-year-old will be making a Scottish Cup final appearance for the Perth side that month, and will also be picking up his first international cap.
As was the case against the Faroe Islands a few months ago, Davidson didn’t make it off the bench for Scotland’s 2-0 defeat to Brazil in London at the weekend.
He’s now hoping it will be third time lucky if Craig Levein selects him again for the end of season Carling Cup clashes with Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
The former Livingston man said, “After the Faroes, it was another game I didn’t play in, but it was a massive learning curve just being involved with the national squad. It was a great experience and one I hope to repeat.
“All this has got to drive me on.
“I might not have been capped but I was training in La Manga and in one of the best stadiums in the world.
“I am young and it is all about learning. It has made me even hungrier. I think that was why I was listed in the squad.
“Hopefully I can keep improving and that Scotland cap will come for me.
“The next internationals are a double-header in Dublin after the cup final. If I could reach the final with Saints and come up with a positive result, and then I could meet up with the Scotland again, that would be ideal.
“A few people were saying this wasn’t a vintage Brazil side but they played some terrific football. It was a step up for a few of the boys so they did well and I enjoyed seeing players of that class up close.”
Davidson was bracing himself for flak when he turned up for training on Monday wearing his Scotland tracksuit, and he wasn’t disappointed.
He explained, “I knew I’d get stick for the tracksuit but we flew up late on Sunday night and I stayed in a hotel and came straight to training. Doobs (Michael Duberry) didn’t miss me!
“It’s all been pretty hectic since the squad was announced. I’ve had two games for St Johnstone that I had to concentrate on before joining the boys in La Manga. Now it’s all about finishing the season strongly.”