Oliver McBurnie has been backed by his team-mates and boss to succeed at international and Premier League level after a week in which he received his first Scotland call-up and netted his sixth goal in seven starts for Barnsley.
The 21-year-old has scored six of the Reds' last eight goals since arriving on loan from top flight Swansea City in January and is now just two behind top-scorer Tom Bradshaw despite playing 25 fewer matches. McBurnie, who was the Championship's player of the Month for February, has been named in Alex McLeish's Scotland squad for the friendlies against Costa Rica at Hampden Park next Friday and in Hungary the following Tuesday.
Head coach Jose Morais told the Chronicle: "I am very, very, very proud. I am very happy and he deserves it. He can make the difference in the national team. He is a good man, he has maturity in his football and my prediction is that he will soon be someone important in our national football."
He added: "He knows he needs to work hard, improve his intensity and, with this in mind, he will probably get much more opportunities next year if he is with Swansea in the Premier League."
Although born in Leeds, McBurnie has represented Scotland at under 19 and under 21 level where he was a team-mate of Stevie Mallan who is now playing alongside him for Barnsley. Midfielder Mallan said: "I'm delighted for him. He has come here and kicked on and he's bang in form. I think he will go up there and he won't look out of place."
Mallan is surprised that another of his Oakwell colleagues, centre-back Liam Lindsay, has not been included in the Scotland squad for the first time.The 22-year-old has impressed since moving south from Partick Thistle in the summer but has been overlooked for the likes of Grant Hanley, who played at Oakwell for Norwich on Tuesday, and Charlie Mulgrew who plays in League One for Blackburn Rovers.
Mallan said: "I thought the big man was in with a shout. He's come down and he's playing week in, week out. From my point of view, and probably most of the Barnsley fans', he has been one of the stand-outs this season. I was quite disheartened for him but I am pretty sure he will get a call-up soon."
Meanwhile, Tom Bradshaw and Ryan Hedges are in Wales' China Cup squad for the international break. Ryan Giggs' team are due to play hosts China on Thursday with the winners taking on Uruguay or the Czech Republic in the following Monday's final. Lloyd Isgrove and Adam Davies have been on stand-by.Meanwhile, former Barnsley centre-back Alfie Mawson has been called up for England for the first time.
