'A massive few months.' Zander Clark's Hearts and Scotland destiny is in his own hands

A huge period of the season for the Tynecastle goalkeeper

The next few months could see Zander Clark earn a Scottish Cup winner's medal, return to European club football and travel with Scotland to the European Championship. The goalkeeper's destiny is in his own hands and he knows it.

As current first-choice at Hearts, he is fully aware he must fend off the challenge from Craig Gordon to remain in situ. Doing so would render him a strong candidate for the plane to Germany, so a potentially enormous few months lie ahead.

The latest Scotland squad will be announced this week ahead of preparatory friendlies against Netherlands and Northern Ireland later this month. Clark won't simply assume he gets a place. "I'm playing at the minute, playing well and feeling good about myself," he said. "I never get too focused on that [Scotland], I just try to do my best each week I play and give the manager a decision to make on whether I'm included or not. Obviously I'm hopeful to be in there, so I'm hoping it will be a pleasing moment when the squad is announced.

"It's a massive few months coming up. As clichéd as it sounds, I look at one game at a time. We are at the stage of the season where, with the position we find ourselves in, we know there will be a lot riding on these games. The full focus needs to be on them. We are looking to progress in the Scottish Cup and get ourselves back to Hampden. Then there is the Euros coming up as well.

"Any player who can be involved in a Scotland squad, whether they have been in there or never been in a squad, it's something they will have their eye on. They will all want to impress and I'm no different. If you keep playing and doing well in games, then hopefully you are included."

Craig Gordon is poised to step into the Hearts team for Monday night's Scottish Cup quarter-final against Morton a Cappielow Park. Gordon has played cup games with Clark enlisted for league fixtures so far this year. Should that remain the case, and provided Clark's recent impressive form continues, Scotland coach Steve Clarke will find him a difficult man to ignore for the Euro 2024 squad.

"Yeah, hopefully that's how he sees it as well. Football is a funny game and it can change in the blink of an eye, so I never get too far ahead of myself," said the keeper. "If I can keep churning out performances and the club are doing well, then it can be a promising looking time ahead."