Leon King knows he faces a battle to reclaim his Rangers spot if he is to make his Scotland dreams a reality.
The young Light Blues defender was thrown in at the deep end earlier this season under Giovanni van Bronckhorst due to a major injury crisis at the club. Connor Goldson was ruled out injured for a couple of months while Ben Davies struggled for fitness. Filip Helander and John Souttar have been long-term crocks leaving the 19-year-old to step up.
He picked up big game experience both domestically and in the Champions League against the likes of Liverpool and Napoli. Occasions that will only improve him as a player. Since Michael Beale's arrival he has found game-time hard to come by with Goldson and Davies both fit and forging a partnership at the heart of the Ibrox defence. The duo have been consistent picks and have remained fit in a huge boost to everyone associated with the club.
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Steve Clarke is set to name his first Scotland squad of the year in a matter of weeks as Euro qualifying begins. The Dark Blues face two big Hampden occasions to kick things off against Cyprus and Spain, with King admitting a spot in the national team has to be a 'realistic option'.
But the young defender knows for that to become a reality he needs to work hard on the training field day in, day out at Rangers and force his way back into the starting side at club level. He has returned to full fitness with his last competitive outing against St Mirren last year.
He said: “A call-up has got to be a realistic option for me but it’s up to me to force the manager here to play me in these games coming up. I’m only going to get a chance with the national team if I’m playing games here but I know it’s down to me to make the manager take that decision.
“I’m back to full fitness. The last time I played in a competitive game was the St Mirren game and obviously I took a nasty one. I don’t remember much about it.”
Rangers face Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena in the Premiership this weekend before all focus turns to the League Cup Final showdown with Celtic at Hampden.
The Light Blues also have eyes on retaining their Scottish Cup trophy with Raith Rovers next up in the quarter-final stage with a national stadium return up for grabs.
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