HEARTS star Barrie McKay is good enough to play for Rangers or Celtic.
That's according to ex-Tynecastle fans' favourite Ryan Stevenson.
The Glenafton manager reckons the 27-year-old is the best player in Scotland outside of the Old Firm pair.
The one-time Rangers winger has enjoyed a superb start to the season with a goal and an assist to his name.
He's started how he left off last term, with 14 goal contributions in total.
He joined Robbie Neilson's side from Swansea last summer.
Stevenson has urged Steve Clarke to get him involved in the national team setup.
He wrote in the Daily Record: "For me McKay is the best player in this country who doesn't play for Rangers and Celtic - and easily has the quality to play for either of the big two.
"But just because he quietly goes about his business and doesn't talk in headlines, he never seems to be in the conversation when Scotland call-ups are being considered.
"Next month the national team has three games and I really hope Steve Clarke sees what I see whenever I watch Barrie. If so, he's got to be in that squad because for all the good players we have from middle to front, few can open defences with a pass or a run in the way he can.
"He was brilliant against Hibs at the weekend but he's been amazing for the past 18 months and it's high time his talent was recognised.
"At 27 he's reaching his prime and has a wealth of experience behind him after bursting on to the scene as a kid at Rangers and then spending a large chunk of his career playing near the top of the English Championship.
"He's got one cap but with his talent there should be plenty more and if the partnership he has formed immediately with Lawrence Shankland is anything to go by then Scotland and Hearts can be the beneficiaries."
