Now the skipper and goal scorer has broken records at Tynecastle
Lee McCulloch said that Lawrence Shankland had to show himself to Hearts supporters who didn’t want him to be their captain.
The former assistant manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars remembers that after Craig Gordon suffered a horrifying double leg break for the team on Christmas Eve 2022, many questioned Robbie Neilson’s choice. Since then, Shankland has worn the armband and taken on the obligation of meeting the goalscoring demands made only of him, with the Scotland cap placing him far ahead of his colleagues in that regard.
With his record-breaking goals at Tynecastle, McCulloch feels the former Ayr and Dundee United striker has truly come into his own and disproved all of his critics.
For Jig, therefore, there’s no reason the 28-goal striker shouldn’t aim to start for his nation come Euro 2024.
McCulloch said, “Shanks is someone I always watched, even when he was at Ayr.” “He’s a proven Scottish goal scorer, something the Scottish league hasn’t had in a long time. He immediately made an impact at Dundee United, where we signed him in 2019. Then he left (for Belgium), and we saw an opening to bring him back since the team he was with was having trouble.
“It was a no-brainer for me when I was speaking to Robbie about taking him to Hearts. Joe Savage was brilliant in making it happen. We knew Hearts hadn’t had a 20-plus goal-scoring striker for years and years and we identified Shanks as that guy and he’s gone on to do that.
“I believe he has gained some confidence since assuming the captaincy. Although others weren’t in favour of him becoming captain, Robbie convinced me that he was the ideal candidate. He is adored by the lads and sets a good example.
“We’re still in contact, and I would really like for him to go to the Euros in the first place, and to perform well there as well.” Why he can’t start for Scotland is beyond me. He is another big-game player who has scored goals for Scotland, in Europe, and both home and away against the Old Firm. It all depends on how Steve Clarke wants to play, but I believe he can get started.
