Teenage full-back Nathan Patterson insists he is doing all he can in training to earn a shock Euro 2020 start against Czech Republic.
The 19-year-old international rookie only earned his debut Scotland cap as a second half substitute in the recent 1-0 friendly defeat of Luxembourg.
Despite just 26 minutes of senior international action there has been a clamour on social media for the teen to start ahead of Stephen O’Donnell at right wing-back against the Czechs at Hampden on Monday.
Patterson has only started nine games at club level with Premiership champions Rangers but insists he is dong all he can to catch boss Steve Clarke’s eye to secure a starting slot.
If Clarke does start Patterson against the Czechs it would complete a remarkable resurrection for the teen who feared his career would be derailed by a Covid-19 lockdown breach earlier this year.
Patterson was one of five Rangers players hit with a six match suspension by the SFA and disciplined internally at Ibrox after they were caught at a party in breach of coronavirus regulations.
He said: “It is a dream come true and you just want to keep going on, working hard and trying to fight for our spot.
“Everyday in training I work hard to try and catch the manager’s eye.
“I just train my hardest and wait for any opportunity that comes my way.
“There is a lot of excitement, challenges and a lot of pressure at a young age.
“When you are young and you are exposed to that pressure at first-team level then it should help put you in good stead for the rest of your career.
“It has really helped me, being with Rangers and having a successful season and this (Euro 2020) has just topped it off.”
In February this year Patterson’s career looked in tatters when he was one of five Rangers players in breach of Covid-19 rules by attending a house party.
Patterson, Bongani Zungu, Calvin Bassey, Dapo Mebude and Brian Kinnear completed a period of self isolation and were fined by the club.
On return from isolation Patterson was pitched in at half-time by Rangers boss Steven Gerrard in the Europa League against Royal Antwerp – and scored within 16 seconds of his introduction in a 5-2 win on February 25.
Everyone makes mistakes.
“That was a clear mistake on my behalf.
“It is probably the most down I have been in my life.
“I thought to myself: I will get another opportunity.
“It is not the end of my career.”
Nathan Patterson
All five were subsequently hit with six game bans in March which Rangers appealed.
The SFA later upheld that ban, with two of the six matches suspended.
Patterson said: “Everyone makes mistakes.
“That was a clear mistake on my behalf.
“It is probably the most down I have been in my life.
“I thought to myself: I will get another opportunity.
“It is not the end of my career.
“I will work hard and when I get there, I will take my opportunity and I did that and showed what I can do on the pitch.
“I’m young but I’m not making that an excuse or a reason for why I did it.
“I shouldn’t have done it.
“But I’m moving on now and I’m going to learn from it.
“I won’t make any more mistakes like that again in my career.
“Obviously I have done well to get to where I am just now.
“What you do on the pitch shows who you are.
“I was at a young age, especially in this era when you have a lot of social media and pressure on you.
“I had good support especially from Rangers and my family.
“I have good coaching staff who have stuck behind me and it has stood me in good stead.”
🏴 Congratulations on your debut, @np4tterson.#LUXSCO pic.twitter.com/MPl1gdPZOR
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 6, 2021
Patterson admits he was scared when the inevitable discussion about the Covid-19 breach came with club manager Gerrard.
However the Ibrox manager retained faith in the 19-year-old at the time and continued to do so by selecting him to start nine games after the crisis.
He said: “When it all came out it wasn’t a great time and I was obviously worried for myself and for everyone else.
“Obviously it wasn’t a great conversation (with Gerrard) but it had to be done and we’ve moved on from it and we’ve got a great relationship.
“He just told me straight and said to me: ‘Look, everyone makes mistakes’.
“He said he’s made mistakes before in his own life but that it’s all about how you bounce back.
“You just have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“I totally agree with him. Obviously I had to go out there and make it up to the fans and I felt as if I did that.”
Scotland will kick-off their first tournament in 23 years when facing the Czech Republic in front of a Covid-19 reduced crowd of 12,000 at Hampden on Monday.
Scotland have not played at a major tournament since the 1998 World Cup and have failed to progress from the group stages of eight World Cups and two Euro finals.
Patterson wasn’t even born the last time Scotland played at a final – and he is determined to end that long cycle of underachieving.
He said: “We’re part of the country and there’s been failure.
“If you want to bring success back to the country then you’ve got that pressure that the country is relying on you.
“I know it’s been tough for Scotland through the years because we haven’t really challenged.
“But we’ve got back to where we belong.”
Should manager Clarke make the bold decision and pitch in the teen ahead of the experienced O’Donnell at right wing back on Monday, the 19-year-old insists he is ready.
He said: “At Rangers youth I did it (right wing back) a few times.
“But with the way we play at Rangers I’m basically a wingback.
“So I’d kind of used to it.
“It’s not something I’m unaware of.”
⚽️🔵 On the latest episode of our Northern Goal podcast, Scotland's most popular man, former national boss Craig Brown, tells us why Steve Clarke's team can reach the Euros quarter-finals.
Listen here:
Apple: https://t.co/Lf7aEKWOdy
Spotify: https://t.co/Q7ws7gAtj5 pic.twitter.com/qRA4tW610S— EveningExpress Sport (@ee_sport) June 10, 2021