Three Hearts players called up for international duty

Three young Hearts players have been named in a Scotland Under-20 squad to face Slovakia later this month. The match takes place at the national training centre in Senec on Friday, 23 May, at 4pm UK time, and will act as preparation for the European Under-21 Championship qualifiers which begin in September this year.

Hearts striker James Wilson, defender Adam Forrester and goalkeeper Liam McFarlane are included in a 22-man squad by coach Scot Gemmill. He will take a look at a number of players ahead of the Under-21 qualifying campaign and is set to use Wilson for the first time.

The 18-year-old striker became the youngest Scottish international footballer in history in March when he won his first senior cap against Greece in the UEFA Nations League play-off. That meant he is now tied to the Scottish FA, and cannot be capped by other countries for whom he was previously eligible - Northern Ireland, England and Republic of Ireland.

Wilson was nominated for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award, which was won by Motherwell’s Lennon Miller, and is also up for the Scottish Football Writers Assocation Young Player of the Year. He became a regular in the senior side at Tynecastle Park this season, scoring six goals in 30 appearances so far.

Forrester has enjoyed plenty game time in his breakthrough campaign, with 31 appearances to date. The 20-year-old right-back earned his first ever international call-up in March when Gemmill included him in the Scotland Under-21 squad. Goalkeeper McFarlane, presently on loan at East Fife, also featured for the Under-21s during that camp.

All three players will now travel with the Under-20 pool and hope to make an impact. Their club season ends a week on Sunday when Hearts travel to Kilmarnock for their final Scottish Premiership fixture, and the Scotland squad will gather in the aftermath of those games.

Speaking to the Edinburgh News last month, Wilson admitted he did play for Northern Ireland at youth level previously but stressed his preference was Scotland. He was eligible to play for England or Republic of Ireland through family heritage, but chose the country of his birth.

Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Republic of Ireland were open to Hearts man

“I always wanted to play for Scotland. Thankfully, I got the opportunity to do that,” he stated. “I played for Northern Ireland's Under-17s. They came in first before the Scotland's Under-16s came in. I wanted to go and try the experience, just go and see it. I really enjoyed that.

“It was a great experience for me to be around players that are playing at the top level in Europe. You see the standard they're at, you see them in training, you see how they prepare for games and everything like that. That was a really good experience. I just focus on playing football here. Once it [the March international camp] was done, it was about: 'Can I get ready for the next Hearts game?' I think just taking it in my stride, I guess.”

Full Scotland Under-20 squad to face Slovakia:

Ruaridh Adams Kelty Hearts (on loan from Dundee United), Connor Allan Kelty Hearts (on loan from Falkirk), Jevan Beattie Sheffield United, Sam Cleall-Harding Dundee United, Findlay Curtis Rangers, Adam Forrester Heart of Midlothian, Mitchell Frame Celtic, Luke Graham Falkirk (on loan from Dundee), Murray Johnson Queen of the South (on loan from Hibernian), Daniel Kelly Millwall, Jack Kingdon Manchester United, Liam McFarlane East Fife (on loan from Heart of Midlothian), Harrison McMahon Chelsea, Dire Mebude Hamburger SV (on loan from KVC Westerlo), Jeremiah Mullen Dunfermline Athletic, Ryan One Sheffield United, Dylan Reid Crystal Palace, Bailey Rice Rangers, Miller Thomson Falkirk (on loan from Dundee United), Bobby Wales Kilmarnock, David Watson Kilmarnock, James Wilson Heart of Midlothian.