Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie insists he will never turn his back on his country.
James McArthur has made himself unavailable for selection for Scotland manager Alex McLeish to focus on his club duties with Crystal Palace while Scott Brown has retired from international duty.
But Dons midfielder Shinnie, who earned his first caps for his country in the summer tour of South America against Peru and Mexico, says playing for his country is an honour he will never turn down.
The former Caley Thistle player, who captained Inverness to Scottish Cup glory in 2015, hopes to add to his two international appearances by featuring in Friday’s friendly against Belgium and Monday’s Uefa Nations League match against Albania.
He said: “I will always go if picked as it’s a massive honour for me and something I’ve wanted for a long time.
“Getting those caps in the summer was a massive weight off my shoulders but I don’t want to rest there. I want to get as many caps as I can.
“I love being away with the national team and I love the set-up. Playing in these games are a massive experience. South America was memorable and the experience is something I’ll never turn down.
“The game we had here against the Netherlands, I was desperate to get on as my family were at Pittodrie so it was frustrating. If I do get a chance this week I know my family will be watching.
“My wife Jodie watched me on the telly playing in South America and I know it meant as much to her as it did to me.
“Every time I get on the pitch with a Scotland jersey is a massive moment, a massive honour for me. I love it every time I do it but I don’t expect it. It’s up to me to work as hard as I can in training to give the manager that headache.”
Shinnie has already made sacrifices for his country after missing his own stag do in the summer to travel to South America.
The 27 year-old celebrated his wedding after the summer tour with Scotland but he is still under pressure to reschedule his cancelled pre-marriage celebrations.
He said: “To be fair Ryan Christie was away in South America with me and Scott Wright was in France with the under-21s. My brother was booked up but we’ll go again once I work up some more brownie points with the missus.
“My mates know what it is like. When squads come up my name is always there or thereabouts and I did say to them before there was a chance I could be called up.
“To be fair they were delighted for me to get my first two caps and my friends and family know how much it meant to me.
“They are pushing me to go to Las Vegas now. Eventually we will get away. We were supposed to be in Marbella but now they want an upgrade.”