Celtic defender Jack Hendry says first Scotland cap is a ‘great honour’

JACK HENDRY always believed he would play for Scotland and was determined to seize his chance in Budapest.

The 22-year-old delivered an assured international debut to help Scotland to a 1-0 friendly victory over Hungary.

The cap continued a meteoric rise for the defender since being released by Wigan last summer after only three Football League Trophy appearances in two seasons. The former Partick Thistle player quickly established himself as a key player at Dundee and won a move to Celtic in January.

Hendry earned a late call-up to Alex McLeish’s squad when Russell Martin pulled out and his route into the team opened up when Grant Hanley withdrew after Friday’s defeat by Costa Rica. McLeish drafted Hendry into the fray and was rewarded with what the manager described as a “super-confident” debut.

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“I’ve always backed my own ability,” the central defender said. “Maybe some people will think it’s happened quicker than others, but I always believed I would get to this point and it’s now about trying to maintain it and keep on improving.

“I feel every young player should have that ambition of playing for their country. It’s a great honour for myself to do that and hopefully this will be the first of many.

“It was a very proud moment for myself and my family making my debut but most importantly we got a good win.

“I was happy with my own performance but most importantly the team, and the boys that came on as well, it was a really good team performance.”

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McLeish had spoken about a struggle to find right-sided centre-backs but Hendry has catapulted himself into contention after slotting into a back three with skipper Charlie Mulrew and Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna.

“When we get opportunities we have to take it,” he said. “Scott has done well and I feel I did well. It’s a real honour to represent your country and you have got to grasp it with both hands. We have shown we can play at this level.

“There wasn’t any nerves. Building up to the game, maybe, but when you go out on to that pitch you have a job to do. I was fully concentrating on that.

“They were quite a physical team, they looked to get it forward quickly, but I feel the defence and the team coped with that really well.”

Hendry’s chances of building on his debut probably hinge on his success in getting a regular first-team slot with Celtic. Brendan Rodgers has utilised him at right-back in recent games but he coped well, particularly after coming off the bench at Ibrox.

And with central defence arguably the weak spot of Rodgers’ team, Hendry could establish himself as a feature of the back four.

Hendry said: “It’s about learning different styles of play. I feel I have become a better player over that short period of time. Obviously I am involved with top players, top coaches and top facilities so I am only going to improve if I work hard, which I feel I am doing.”