David Bates insists he will be ready if he is thrust in for his Scotland debut against Albania on Saturday.
Hamburg centre back Bates is in contention for a starting spot – with Aberdeen defender Mikey Devlin struggling with injury – and his experience of big games stands him in good stead.
Bates was drafted into the squad after Blackburn Rovers defender Charlie Mulgrew withdrew through injury and the former Rangers man could be asked to make his debut by Alex McLeish in Shkoder at the weekend.
Bates said: “Seriously, I feel totally ready. I have been playing every game for Hamburg except for a couple and I feel I have come on a lot as a player. So I definitely feel ready.
“I have played in Old Firm games and also in the Hamburg against St Pauli match about a month ago. I’ve already experienced some big games in my career.
“I think you just go into every match with the same attitude and try to do your best. You don’t think about the occasion too much.
The 22-year-old left Rangers in the summer for Hamburg, who dropped down to Bundesliga 2 after relegation from the German top flight for the first time.
Bates has no regrets about the move and would encourage others to do the same after a slew of young British players like Jadon Sancho, Reiss Nelson and Liam Henderson made the switch overseas.
Bates added: “I think everyone respected that I wanted to go down a different route.
“I never had many comments saying things like ‘Oh why are you doing that?’
“Maybe some people did but I never really read or heard them. All the ones I saw were about how brave I was and how good it was that I was going out there and trying something different.
“For me the Bundesliga 2 is a better league (than the Scottish Premiership). Every team is competitive and you go away to grounds and it’s a sell-out.
“You’re up against different types of players and all teams are tactically switched on. I feel like I’m learning so much.
“I’d totally recommend it. To step out of your comfort zone and learn your trade somewhere else is the best thing I could have done. I’ve learned so much on the technical side of things.”
Bates feels he has developed the technical side of his game since his move to Volksparkstadion, which comes just three years after he was playing for the likes of East Stirling, Brechin City and Raith Rovers.
He added: “I have learned a different style of play in Germany. It’s not go in behind or kick it maybe longer if you are under pressure.
“It’s more a case of play out from the back and in training you always practise that with the ball. There are very technical players around so they can make that easy for you.
“I don’t get too carried away,
I always think what I could have done better. I look at my clips and see what I could do better, rather than what I did well. I’ve been at Raith Rovers a few years ago, on loan in League 2 and League 1, then went to Rangers. So it has gone quickly.”
