Lawrence Shankland can kick Scotland up a gear as key figure in Hearts star's rise reveals exactly what he brings

Tony Asghar has backed Lawrence Shankland to play a starring role for Scotland at Euro 2024 and has warned that his best is still to come.

He has joined up with the Scotland squad this week as the nation’s in-form striker on the back of his impressive 27 goal haul for Hearts.
Asghar was the sporting director who took the free-scoring frontman from Ayr to Dundee United and first forced his way into Steve Clarke’s squad back in 2019 - as a Championship player!

Shankland is looking to impress in the friendlies against Holland and Northern Ireland as he looks to catch Clarke’s eye to make sure he cements his place in the national squad for Germany this summer. Asghar said: “There is no doubt Scotland have a very strong squad. I think Lawrence actually offers something different to what they already have. He can lead the line or even play in the No. 10 role.

“Lawrence is only 28 and I still think he has to hit his peak. There is no doubt he can go on and become a top, top striker for Scotland and I can see him playing at the Euros this year. I know Lawrence is having an unbelievable season with Hearts but I am in no doubt his best is still to come.

“He is getting better but I still think he can still kick on again. I have seen the way he looks after himself, how he plays and he always wants to work hard, learn and to try and better himself. If he was to make the Euros squad, which I think he will, it would be massive for him but it would also be massive for Scotland having a player who is in such a rich vein of form.”

Asghar knows playing for Scotland is a massive thing for Shankland. It was part of his thinking when he left Ayr United for Tannadice in 2019. The former United sporting director explained: “He was