Ryan Porteous reckons some people wanted him to fail for Scotland as he silenced his critics with a stunning debut against Ukraine.
The Hibs stopper was drafted in by Steve Clarke for the final game of the Nations League triple-header due to a vast number of injuries in the backline. The 23-year-old was an unused sub in the first two games of the international break but he was put in alongside Jack Hendry in the decider with Scotland needing a share of the points to win League B.
Porteous put in a superb display in the heart of the defence - earning praise from Scotland and Hearts No1 Craig Gordon, boss Steve Clarke and many pundits and fans as the Dark Blues got the job done and secured promotion to League A and with that a second seeding for the Euro 2024 draw and a guaranteed play-off spot.
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It was a big moment for the Easter Road defender - who didn't let outside noise get to him in a huge milestone in his career with the hope that this is the first cap of many to come.
Speaking to The Nine, Porteous said: "There might have been a lot of people that were wanting me to fail, or wanting the team to fail because I was playing and things like that. But I'm big enough to deal with that.
"I'm just glad that I got the opportunity. I waited a long time for the opportunity, but I'm just glad that when I did get it I've taken it. More importantly, Scotland moves in the direction we want them to go."
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