Ryan Jack insists maintaining strong work at Rangers can keep him ready and able to answer big calls for Scotland.
The Ibrox midfielder responded superbly to the needs of the nation with when he replaced Manchester United’s Scott McTominay in the heart of the pitch to help get the draw against Ukraine which hoisted Steve Clarke ’s side in amongst the elite. Jack’s mind is now straight back onto club business as Rangers prepare for tomorrow’s crunch lunchtime Premiership encounter against Hearts at Tynecastle.
But the 30-year-old knows performing to high levels in Light Blue can ensure he’s part of the Dark Blue set-up for the huge competitive occasions which are now looming in 2023. Jack assessed his international position and said: “I just keep working hard every day at my club and whatever will be will be. It’s just important that I work hard and make sure I’m ready to play on nights like against Ukraine. I train hard and be ready to step in when needed.
“Going forward I’ll obviously play more and get a good run of games together that I can start building on good performances. There are going to be some great games for us and a lot to look forward to.
“It’s a test for us as players and as a staff. If we want to compete at that level then it’s time for us to try and show that.”
Jack and others such as Kenny McLean and Ryan Porteous slotted comfortably into Clarke’s line-up for the showdown in Krakow and displayed real ability and character to perform under the scrutiny. The Rangers star had done it before having also shone during the famous Euro 2020 play-off win over Serbia in Belgrade.
Jack says spirit is as big a commodity within the squad as skills as he explained: “Definitely. There are a lot of different personalities, a lot of good characters. It’s not just off the pitch, it’s on the pitch. You need those characters on the pitch and I think right now we’ve got that.
“We’ve got a good mix and a good blend of experience and youth. Aaron Hickey against Ukraine, I thought he was absolutely outstanding at right-back, filling in at a position he doesn’t play for his club.
“That’s always a good thing. You can tell with the standard of training. The quality’s high. It’s important that myself and others, Kenny, etc, are ready to step in when other boys are out.
"Or other boys are ready to step when we’re out. That’s the way it is, we’ve got a lot of quality.
“Ryan did really well. The manager touched on that after the game in front of all the boys. He said how well Ryan had played.
“That’s the benchmark for him and for us going forward, we need to get used to coming to places like this and getting results.
“It’s all positive and we look forward to the next trip. I was delighted to play and get a good result, play a part in helping us push forward. It was great, but also a tough shift. But we got it over the line and got a good result so we can’t complain.
“It just shows that we’re going to need everybody to step in and step up because these games are tough and these venues are tough.
“We’ve got a good result and we can move forward. It sets us up nicely for the future, so it was a good night all round. It was a great camp, we took seven points from three games. We can be happy.”
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