JOHN Souttar, the Hearts defender, has said hearing he is “on the radar” of Scotland manager Alex McLeish is a huge boost.

Souttar, 21, uncapped at national level, was forced to pull out of the Scotland squad that visited Peru and Mexico in the summer due to injury.

“It was nice to hear the manager say I’m on the radar,” said Souttar. “If I continue to play well for Hearts, hopefully I will stay on the radar. But I can’t think too much about that. I’ve got to concentrate on being captain of Hearts and winning games.”

He added: “That was horrible, missing out last time. It’s something you dream of as a boy, playing for your country. To pull out through injury was horrible. It wasn’t even that bad an injury, it was a niggle – but one that meant I couldn’t perform.

‘But I believe, one day, it will happen. Whether it’s now or in a few years, I will hopefully be ready.”