Lyndon Dykes says serving to Scotland to their first World Cup since 1998 would ease the harm of being compelled to overlook final 12 months’s European Championships.
Scotland can safe automated qualification to subsequent summer time’s finals in the event that they take not less than a degree towards Greece in Piraeus on Saturday after which beat Denmark at Hampden Park three days later.
Steve Clarke’s facet are not less than assured a play-off place after an unbeaten run in Group C.
The Birmingham Metropolis striker didn’t play in Germany after an incident throughout their pre-tournament coaching camp.
“I want to play as many games for Scotland as possible. I want to make as many tournaments as possible and obviously missing out on the Euros was a big blow,” Dykes stated.
“The way in which it occurred as properly, it actually harm loads.
“I needed to simply do my greatest to recover from it main as much as that as a result of clearly it wasn’t like the primary Euros once we had the Serbia play-off.
“You don’t know what’s around the corner. Hopefully I can play my part for this team to get to the World Cup and be in the squad for the World Cup if we do make it.”
‘Pinnacle of your profession’
Scotland’s final World Cup look was in 1998
Dykes was solely two when Scotland final featured at a World Cup, whereas among the present squad weren’t born.
The 30-year-old says enjoying in North America subsequent summer time could be a dream come true.
“To play in a World Cup, personally, I never even thought I’d have the opportunity to do that.
“It is such a tremendous factor. I feel what we have been by way of for the final variety of years, we had the burden of the Euros and we did that as a crew.
“We received back-to-back Euros and now the subsequent factor is a World Cup and everybody desires that, all of the gamers, all of the employees and the entire nation.
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Scott Bain is in rivalry to earn his first Scotland cap in over six years after fearing staying at Celtic for too lengthy had ruined his probability of one other call-up
“We deserve it as a team for what we’ve shown over the past number of years.
“However simply saying that is not going to make it straightforward so that you can get there.
“It’s going to be two difficult games. We have to make sure we focus on the first one because we have to make sure we do what we need to do in the first game.
“Anybody desires to play in a World Cup as a result of it is only a pinnacle of your profession.”
‘We get issues executed’
Dykes (L) scored his tenth Scotland purpose within the 3-1 win towards Greece final month
Scotland have overwhelmed Belarus twice, received towards Greece at Hampden and held Denmark to a goalless draw away from residence on this qualifying marketing campaign.
They’re stage with Denmark on 10 factors and out of the attain of Greece as they sit seven factors behind with simply two video games left.
“I wouldn’t say there is any pressure at the moment. We’ve done great in these group stages, we’ve got automatic play-offs,” the 46-cap striker added.
“When the time comes to it I’m sure boys and the whole squad will have a little bit of nerves coming into games because we know how big these games are.
“The squad that we’ve got, the gamers that we’ve got, they’ve performed in huge video games, each single considered one of them. Strain comes with this sport.
Dykes was a part of the squad that secured qualification for Euro 2020
“Previously being in that Serbia [play-off] for the first Euros, which seems a long time ago now, the pressure on that game was massive and we got through that as a team.
“Ever since that state of affairs and that second, we simply form of grew from there. We all know we will all the time get by way of issues as a crew and collectively. Although the squad’s modified slightly bit from there, we have nonetheless received some gamers.
“That’s the main core of the whole Scotland and the Scotland nation as well because when we’re all together and we’re all aligned, we get things done.”
Scotland squad
Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Falkirk), Craig Gordon (Hearts), Liam Kelly (Rangers).
Defenders: Josh Doig (Sassuolo), Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Etiffaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Connor Barron (Rangers), Andy Irving (West Ham).
Forwards: Che Adams (Torino), Lyndon Dykes (Birmingham), George Hirst (Ipswich), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts).
Scotland’s last World Cup qualifiers
- Greece (A) – November 15
- Denmark (H) – November 18
