Malky Mackay pleased to see Ross County loanee Jack Burroughs featuring for Scotland Under-21s during international break
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The international break saw many a Scotland fan celebrating, but Ross County manager Malky Mackay was looking past the senior team’s success.
That is because one of his players was in action for the Scotland Under-21s as they tried to get results in their own qualifying group for the Under-21 Euros.
It was a set of mixed results for Scot Gemmill’s side, beating Kazakhstan 2–1 but losing 2–0 to Belgium.
Burroughs featured in both of those games, coming on as a 79th minute substitute against Kazakhstan and playing the full 90 minutes against Belgium.
Mackay knows first hand what it is like to be around the age group set up from his time as the Scottish FA’s performance director, and his perspective on the likes of Burroughs getting a taste of international football has not changed since returning to the club game as a manager.
“I’m delighted that Jack was away with the Scotland Under-21s,” Mackay stressed.
“I brought him into the Under-17s set up, him and his brother who were another two that we found in England.
“He has been through the age groups for the last four years. He comes from a great family of lovely people, and he has progressed to the point where Scot Gemmill wants him involved with the under-21s.
“That’s a great credit to him considering he has come from the Coventry reserves and he hasn’t played too much men’s football.
“You just want to make sure that he goes away, he gets some game time and does well, and that he doesn’t come back injured. That’s what you’re looking at as a club manager.”
Burroughs is back in Dingwall as part of a fully fit County squad ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Hibernian, something that is sure to be a weapon in Mackay’s arsenal with nine games still to play before 2021 is out.
“It’s a testament to the way our medical staff and sports scientists have looked after people,” Mackay said.
“It gives you other problems obviously when everyone is fit, but it’s a nice problem.
“Coming up it is going to be a case of wrapping people in cotton wool between games, so there won’t be a lot of training, just wee extras to top them up.”
