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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Jacob Brown feeling right at home for Scotland as he targets first goal

Scotland striker Jacob Brown has revealed he is feeling right at home for Scotland after two years in the national team squad.

The Luton forward, 25, was first called up in November 2021 and has been a regular inclusion under Steve Clarke ever since.

However, with just seven caps to his name within that period - all from the bench - it would be understandable were Brown to feel somewhat frustrated with his opportunity on the international stage.

That couldn't be further from the truth, though, with the Premier League player thriving on the experiences for Scotland to date - even if he is yet to celebrate a goal of his own in front of the Tartan Army.

"I’m on my seventh cap now and with every time I’m getting more experience," said Brown of his time in the Scotland set-up.

"I thought I did well when I came on against France. I had a couple of chances. I am just trying to train well and get the opportunity to show what I can do. Hopefully, that will keep coming. 

"Obviously, every player wants to start. But there is a lot of quality here and so everybody can’t start. 

"The reason we have done so well is that we are all working hard together and the players who are on the bench are ready to make an impact when they are needed. 

"I wouldn’t say there is one highlight. It has all been positive since my first time with the squad. 

"I felt I fitted in straight away. The team has been doing really well and everyone helped me settle in. 

"I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and if a chance to start comes I need to take it. "

Brown - who qualifies to play for Scotland through his Glasgow-born mother - previously admitted feeling nervous when first brought into the international fold.

Two years on, however, and Brown is completely comfortable, in no short part down to the club atmosphere cultivated under Clarke in recent years.

"Definitely," said Brown when quizzed on whether the nerves have disappeared. "When I was first called up it all felt a bit surreal and it came quite quick. 

"I was nervous just for the level of football and meeting up with the team. 

"But from the first day the lads and all the staff were great. 

"It’s mad that it’s been two years since then, I’m enjoying every minute. 

"That [club atmosphere] has definitely helped. 

"When you come away it’s a week to ten days so not such a long time but when you’re seeing similar faces you settle straight away. 

"It’s not long since the last camp and it felt like we picked up where we left off."

With Scotland already qualified for the Euro 2024 finals in Germany, tonight's match against Norway could see a possible opportunity for extended minutes for Brown.

The striker has played just 91 minutes in total for his country to date across his seven outings and went close to his first goal in the friendly against France last month.

Brown is fully aware Hampden Park will be in party mode for the group closer and is hopeful he can add to the celebrations with a strike of his own which would no doubt bolster his chances of being included in Clarke's squad for Germany next year.

"Yes, I was close against France which would have been amazing," said Brown of his ambitions to score for Scotland.

"As a striker you want to show what you can do and get the goals and assists. If I’m selected hopefully I can do that. 

"My job is to get goals and that’s what I want to do. 

"But you need to bring more than just that. If you’re not scoring you need to be helping in other ways and I feel like I definitely do that. 

"But to get my first goal would be a nice bonus. 

"For us to have qualified [for Euro 2024] is a massive achievement and everyone is buzzing about it.  "But we have one last game in the qualifiers and we want to finish on a high. 

"Everyone will want to do their best to earn their place in the squad. 

"It's important for everyone to celebrate the achievement. But as players, we are just focused on the game. We want to try to get the win."

While Brown would relish the chance to square off against Norway this evening, he will have a second chance to take on global superstar Erling Haaland in the coming weeks as Luton face Manchester City at club level.

And whenever it comes, Brown is determined to make the most of the opportunity not only to impress as an individual but to continue his development by competing against the best.

"That's only going to help me," said Brown of playing against elite opposition. "Every experience I get in the Premier League, I can take that into playing for Scotland. The quality of the players in the national squad is really good and it's helping me improve all the time.

"We've got Arsenal and Man City in the space of five days [next month] but they're both at home which hopefully will help us. "We've a great support at home and we feel like we can always do well against teams there. I'll come up against Haaland on Sunday then in the league so hopefully we can get some good results."

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