Former Scotland international Darren Jackson believes if Chelsea youngster Billy Gilmour was not a midfielder he would have been in the senior Scotland squad.
The 18-year-old has grabbed headlines with virtuoso performances against Liverpool and Everton in the last week and has emerged as a young player to reckon with at Chelsea.
He has found a place in the Scotland Under-21 squad, but many felt that he did enough to even break into the senior set up for Scotland.
Jackson, who coached Gilmour in the past, admits that he is a wonderful player to work with and highlighted the work ethic he shows when on the training pitch.
He has conceded that he understands why the youngster was not in the Scotland senior squad, but stressed that he is good enough to be there and even thrive under pressure.
The former Scotland international admits that at the moment the national side are stocked with midfielders and believes that is the reason why Gilmour was only in the Under-21 squad.
Jackson said on PLZ Soccer's The Football Show: “He is a great boy.
“I look at him, I think of Andy Robertson and it is not rocket science – the desire every day in training.
“You don’t actually make yourself better on a Saturday, you make yourself better on Monday to Friday and the training sessions I have been with him, he does everything to the best of his ability.
“He is an absolute joy [to work with]. I have no doubt that he won’t get carried away.
“Do I think he should be in the full squad? Yes, I do but I can understand why he is in the Under-21s.
“If he was a centre-half, a right-back or even a striker, he is in the squad.
“It is just the midfield we have got. [Scott] McTominay, if [John] McGinn is fit and [Callum] McGregor are going to play.
“Then there is [Kenny] McLean, [John] Fleck and [Stuart] Armstrong but he can go on and play.
“He thrives on big occasions and I think the bigger occasion, the more he enjoys it.”
Gilmour has only made seven senior appearances for Chelsea thus far, but is expected to rapidly add to that number.
