'Incredibly proud' Rangers star reacts to earning international recognition as he admits call-up felt unlikely
Versatile defender has been rewarded for a string of impressive performances since arriving at Ibrox on loan from Greek side AEK Athens
James Penrice has been rewarded for his impressive start to life at Rangers after earning his first senior Scotland call-up under new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli.
The 27-year-old defender is the only new face in the Belgian’s latest 26-man squad for the upcoming Nations League double-header against North Macedonia and Switzerland.
Penrice has caught the eye since arriving at Ibrox on loan from Greek side AEK Athens, establishing himself as an important member of Derek McInnes' squad and demonstrating the consistency that has led to him earning international recognition.
The former Hearts star’s inclusion represents a significant milestone in a career that has seen him work his way up through Scottish football before securing an opportunity at one of the country's biggest clubs.
Penrice’s versatility is likely to have played an important part in Pocognoli's decision. Although primarily a left-back, he has also been utilised in midfield on several occasions by McInnes in recent months, demonstrating his ability to adapt to different tactical demands.
That flexibility could prove particularly valuable to Scotland as they prepare for two important fixtures in their Nations League campaign.
Penrice had initially been overlooked when Pocognoli announced his first Scotland squad, despite enjoying a positive start to his Gers career. However, his performances since then have continued to strengthen his credentials and the new head coach has now handed him an opportunity to make his senior debut.
The call-up also comes at an interesting time for Scotland's defensive options. Ex-Hibs full-back Josh Doig has dropped out of the squad following Sassuolo's difficult recent run, while Dinamo Zagreb defender Scott McKenna is unavailable after suffering a back strain.
Penrice will now have the opportunity to train alongside some of Scotland's more experienced international players as he looks to make the step up to senior international football.
His selection is another indication that Pocognoli is prepared to look beyond the established names when assessing potential additions to his squad.
Reacting to the news Penrice told Rangers TV: “Incredibly proud. I found out five minutes before I came out [for training] and just went ‘oh my god unreal’. [I have waited] a wee while, but I knew coming back to Scotland, coming to Rangers, it would help my cause. So it's credit to the boys in there as well. They've helped me incredibly and I'm just buzzing.”
Asked what earning international recognition for the first time means to him, Penrice responded: “It's a weird feeling because I don't ever think going through the early part of my career that I would ever be called up. It's happened now so I'm just delighted. It's an incredibly proud moment for me and my family. They will be buzzing, my phone will probably be going off, it's nuts. I’ll have hundreds of missed calls now from my mum asking why I never told her! But I'm buzzing.”
Youngster retains his place after impressing Pocognoli
Youngster Findlay Curtis has also retained his place after creating positive impression during his previous involvement with the national team. He has since continued to make an impact at club level with a number of energetic cameos for the Light Blues.
The 20-year-old’s ability to offer a different attacking threat has helped him remain in Pocognoli’s thinking after he was briefly removed from the senior set-up following a training camp in La Manga to allow him to feature for the under-21s. However, he was subsequently recalled and named on the bench for the Hampden meeting with Slovenia last month.
His continued inclusion represents another encouraging step in his development, with Pocognoli clearly keen to keep the exciting prospect involved in his long-term plans.
Scotland's final two fixtures of the year carry considerable significance, requiring at least four points from their remaining League B1 matches to retain any realistic possibility of finishing second and reaching the promotion play-offs.
The Scots host North Macedonia at Hampden Park on Friday, November 13, before travelling to Switzerland three days later to face the group leaders. And Pocognoli will be hoping his latest new addition Penrice can provide another useful option as Scotland attempt to finish their campaign strongly.