Scotland new boy backed to bring fresh dynamic to Pocognoli's squad amid praise from ex-Hibs boss
Scotland can benefit from addition of ‘dynamic’ young midfielder, claims former EFL pundit.
Scotland midfielder Kristi Montgomery has been backed to make an impact on head coach Sebastien Pocognoli after the Blackburn Rovers midfielder was added to his senior squad last week.
Montgomery, 22, was included in the Scotland senior squad for the first time after experienced duo Kenny McLean and Kieran Tierney were forced to withdraw from injury, and the young defensive midfielder could earn his first cap this weekend as Scotland face Slovenia in their Nations League opener at the Stozice Stadium in Ljubljana.
A regular for his club side in the EFL Championship, his manager Tony Mowbray has urged him to take his chance over the international break and show the new Belgian head coach what he is all about. The 62-year-old managed both Hibs and Celtic earlier in his career, and believes Montgomery has what it takes to make the step up from the Under-21 setup.
"I said to him before he left, make sure you bring your personality to the training and show everybody who you are and what you are," said Mowbray. "Don't be a shy kid who feels as if you don't deserve to be there or you don't warrant being there. You've got to go and bring some personality into training and do what you do. Bring your superpowers, your running ability, your physicality.
"Don't go around kicking your team-mates, of course, as I say, they're in training every day with us, but you have to show them what you're all about as a football player and your tenacity and your ability to get around the pitch is the main strength of his.
“If they can stick it through and he can get turned and run away from them, he works on that sort of stuff every day. He's improving, he's getting better, his understanding of the game is becoming greater. He's got a lot of growth still to go. I don't want to sit here and say, wow, he's the finished article they've got an amazing footballer.
“I call it pitch personality, really. He has to believe in himself. We can work on his taking the ball off his back foot, getting turned, playing behind the pressure of the strikers who are threatening our defensive line. He's still a young boy who's got lots to learn, but he's got wonderful attributes and if he brings that pitch personality, he can be a top player.”
Sky Sports EFL pundit and former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips also thinks the 22-year-old can prove himself worthy of international recognition, telling BestBettingSites.co.uk: ”Listening to Tony Mowbray talk about him, he talks very highly of him. He said he's pretty much cemented his place in their side already. He's only 22 years of age. He's a defensive midfielder; his tackling's good, he likes a long shot, and he intercepts the ball really well.
“Maybe it's something the Scottish fans will see that they haven't seen for a while in that area. He's young, he's enthusiastic, he's dynamic. So, listening to Tony, he absolutely deserves his opportunity to be amongst international players, and it's delightful to see. So again, really excited to see how he develops for Scotland and Blackburn.”
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