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You’d like to think the SFA will treat Johnny Russell to a seat in business class on Monday.

After all, with one striker struggling to get from Lennoxtown for Scotland duty, here’s a guy willing to travel from the other side of the world for a cap.

After our friendly against Portugal at Hampden, he’ll get on a flight from Edinburgh tomorrow morning and arrive in Vancouver at 11pm.

On Tuesday – putting jet-lag to one side – he’ll train with his Sporting Kansas City team-mates before playing in their MLS play-off tie against the Whitecaps on Wednesday.

After years of impressing in the English Championship only to be ignored by his country, Russell could easily have jacked it in when he moved to America.

At 28, he’s far from winding down his career. Only last weekend, his terrific goal against Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s LA Galaxy sealed Sporting’s play-off place.

There’s plenty of travelling involved for club and country – it’s 4200 miles from Glasgow to Kansas direct – but Russell wouldn’t have it any other way.

He could have asked Alex McLeish if he could go home after Thursday night’s Nations League tie with Israel, knowing Vancouver were around the corner.

But it’s not in his make-up.

Russell, 28, has waited long enough for his chance at international level.

And in stark contrast to Leigh Griffiths’ surprise withdrawal from McLeish’s squad last week, he won’t allow it to pass him by for the sake of a few thousand air miles.

The former Dundee United and Derby County frontman said: “I could have asked to be rested for the Portugal game but it’s not something I’d bring up.

“I’ll play as many minutes as I can when I’m asked to. It doesn’t matter when it is. I could never pick and choose what Scotland games I play in. Any chance I get for my country, I’ll be there.

(Image: Jeff Holmes/SNS Group)

“I’ll leave here on Monday for Vancouver, train Tuesday and play Wednesday. I’m fairly used to it now.

“Travelling can be a hassle at times but it’s not a problem for me. I’m still young and fit so I’ll be all right.

“And the SFA look after me so I’ll travel in a bit of comfort at least.

“Travelling doesn’t bother me. You just don’t know how short your career is going to be, especially in terms of playing for Scotland.

“You can’t get to Scotland direct from Kansas City, where I live.

“After the games in September, I had to go London, Dallas, Kansas – it was torture. It was 20 hours’ travelling and I was tired when I got back. Not helped by the sprinting I had to do at Dallas to make my connection!”

There’s only three months between Russell and Griffiths who both came through the ranks with Scotland at the same time.

The MLS-based forward, it appears, has now jumped ahead of Celtic’s No.9 in the pecking order. But there’s no way Russell is going to feel guilty about it.

He said: “There’s no awkwardness regarding Leigh’s situation. We’d like to have him here. You need goals and he’s got that in him.

“If he’s being honest about it and feels dropping out was the best thing for him, he has made the right decision.

“It’s good that there are no guarantees who starts. It keeps everyone on their toes. Myself and Stevie Naismith are different types of players to Griff, who’s more of an out-and-out striker.

(Image: SNS)

“You’d love to have him as an option but you want Griff firing. If he feels this is what it takes to get firing then so be it.

“I’ve had to bide my time for a chance.

“I’ve worked hard and there were times I was disappointed at not playing or not even being selected. You’re not guaranteed anything. Missing out for so long then getting back in, I know first-hand that you can’t take anything for granted.

“I wasn’t involved with Scotland when I was at Derby. I always wanted to get back in. Going to America, you never know what might happen.

“Nothing was changing but I always had the ambition. And the Mexico friendly in the summer was perfect.

“The manager gave me a chance and I’ll always be grateful for it.”

But Russell wouldn’t be getting a look-in if he wasn’t starring at Sporting Kansas City.

(Image: SNS Group)

He is proving to be their talisman, their go-to guy for big-game goals – as he proved against the Galaxy.

With that brings pressure but that’s what he’s thriving on. He said: “Pressure is part of the game. The club didn’t score many goals last year so they brought me in to help them with that.

“I’ve enjoyed it – it has given my game a lift and got me back to top form.

“There are always some people who want you to fail and have a certain opinion of the league.

“But it’s been brilliant so far and I’ve scored in a few big games. We needed a goal last week and I found one at the right time to clinch a play-off place.

“I wish it could happen like that every time.”