Saints defender Declan Gallagher insists he’ll never give up hope of making it into double figures for Scotland.
The determined centre back admits not playing a single minute at Euro 2020 did dent his confidence, especially having played an integral part in Steve Clarke’s side qualifying for the tournament.
The 31-year-old put in a superb display when Scotland beat Serbia in their historic winner-takes-all play-off final in Belgrade, which he feels will forever be the highlight of his career.
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But that won’t stop him dreaming of adding to the nine caps he’s already secured, with Scotland back in Nations League action next week against Ukraine and Ireland.
Gallagher said: “I’ve always said I’d love to get my tenth cap and hit double figures, but it all comes down to me playing well here.
“It’s not an impossible task to get back into the Scotland squad coming to a place like St Mirren, playing every week and doing well.
“We’ve kept a few clean sheets over the last few weeks so it’s about trying to force my back in there and catching the eye.
“Scotland was never in my mind when I signed in the sense that I just wanted to get back playing regularly.
“I wanted to come here and find my form again, working again under the manager that I had at Motherwell. He was the manager that got me my Scotland call-ups before.
“Getting a good pre-season under my belt and having a manager that I know, what ideas he’s got, and playing at a club where I’m happy and full of confidence – I think that all shows out on the park.”
Gallagher revealed that national boss Clarke tried to shoulder some of the blame for his difficult time at Aberdeen, with the defender himself admitting it wasn’t his best spell on or off the pitch.
Getting back into a Scotland jersey next week would mark the perfect turnaround for Gallagher, who has impressed for the Buddies after making the switch from Pittodrie to Paisley.
Gallagher said: “Last season was very stop-start for me.
“It wasn’t my greatest of seasons, I’ll hold my hands up to that.
“I obviously wasn’t playing too much. I made a couple of squads when I was at Aberdeen and then from there I wasn’t playing. He (Clarke) phoned me up to talk about it. He actually took a bit of blame that he didn’t have to do.
“He said that he took me to the Euros, I was left out for two squads, made the bench for one and never played any games.
“He felt that he had maybe dented my confidence and he didn’t have to say that. He had choices to make himself.
“So, we had a really good chat. I’ve got the utmost respect for him for what he’s done. Last season wasn’t my greatest of seasons so it was justified me coming out of the squad. Now that I’m here and playing well I’m hoping to catch the eye again.
“One of the things he said to me in the chat was for me to get back playing and back playing well again.
“I did well under him, getting nine caps and I was eight unbeaten at one stage. He knows what I can do and knows I can do it at that stage.
“It comes from what I do on the park at St Mirren though.”
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