James Forrest has capped his revitalising end to the season at Celtic by earning deserved international honours.
Overall, the 32-year-old registered seven goals and two assists in 28 appearances across all competitions for the Bhoys, playing his part in their domestic double triumph [Transfermarkt].
Coming back into prominence under Brendan Rodgers, there were no surprises when Forrest was named in Scotland’s 28-man provisional squad for EURO 2024 in Germany.
Yesterday evening, 67 Hail Hail ran through the highlights of his first outing for his country following three years in exile, as the Tartan Army made heavy weather of defeating Gibraltar 2-0 on Portuguese soil.
Speaking post-match, the Prestwick-born veteran gave his observation on how he remained focused amid speculation he could gain recognition once again on the international stage.
James Forrest only had Celtic on his mind amid Scotland talk
Forrest is the definition of an experienced campaigner and isn’t the type of character you’d imagine would be too bothered by speculation surrounding his name.
Describing his return to the Scotland fold as a ‘great boost’, the winger has also indicated he only had finishing the season strong with Celtic in his head despite talk that Steve Clarke could look to call him up to feature in his pre-EURO 2024 camp.
He stated when asked how he felt about his chances [Cited via BBC Sport]: “Everyone was saying that to me, but honestly I was just focused on every game at Celtic. Then you obviously know the Euros are coming up and every Scottish player wants to go and be a part of it.
“I’m the same even though I’m getting older, you still want to work hard and play for your national team as much as you can and it was a great boost.”
James Forrest is still contributing for club and country
Injuries have dogged Forrest’s chances of gaining regular minutes over the past few years; however, he now looks to be back to his best, even if there is an acknowledgement that he has needed to refine some aspects of his game that are more dependent on blistering pace.
Either way, adaptability is a sign of a player able to stand the test of time. Few would’ve forecast his role in Celtic’s title bid; nevertheless, Forrest came into form at a critical time, earning his place in the Scotland squad.
Whether he makes the cut to 26 players is another question, though he has done himself no harm based on his exploits over the last few months.