Blues striker George Hirst says being named in the Scotland squad for the World Cup finals was a proud moment but also a relief.

The 27-year-old, who is currently at a training camp at Lesser Hampden in Glasgow ahead of Saturday’s home friendly against Curacao and then a final preparation fixture against Bolivia in New Jersey a week later, is set to be one of two Town forwards at the finals with Ali Al-Hamadi expected to be included in the final Iraq squad having been selected for a provisional party which is currently training in Spain.

Hirst, who has won eight caps, scoring once since switching allegiance from England, says he discovered he had made the cut not long before everyone else.

“I was ecstatic,” he said. “I found out 45 minutes before the rest of the world did. I was actually golfing in Portugal with a couple of mates at the time and had a putt for birdie and ended up making double [bogey].

“I couldn’t quite contain my excitement, even on the golf course. I couldn’t believe it. It was a dream for me, when you’re a kid, to go to a World Cup as a footballer and for the manager to give me that opportunity, I’ll be forever grateful.”

The former Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester City man admits he wasn’t sure he would make it into Steve Clarke’s travelling party.

“There was definitely a world where I was in the squad, there was a world where I wasn’t. I wasn’t naive to that fact,” he continued.

“In the March camp, I had conversations with the manager, pretty honest conversations. For the end of the season, it was just for me to do as much as possible at Ipswich and show why I deserve to be on the plane to America.

“You never know what other people are thinking. For me, it was just a massive relief and a really proud moment when that email finally came through.

“The last week’s been a bit weird. It’s not really sunk in and felt like it’s actually happening. I’ve got this email and it’s like, right, is it actually real?

“As soon as I got here, it was like, OK, now this is real and it’s go time. I just can’t contain my smile, can’t contain myself expressing how happy I am to be here.”

He added: “There were obviously games where I didn’t score and then you look on Sky Sports and someone else did and you’re like… I won’t say it!

“I try and do the best job possible, whether that’s scoring goal, whether that’s getting an assist, whether that’s just running as much as possible, depending on the game and what the game needs. I’m not the striker that’s bogged down by [believing] if I don’t score, I’ve had a bad game.

“I’m very aware of what I can offer and what I can bring to any team that I can play in. For me, it was just about really focusing in on that and putting in performances that I can be proud of.

“I’m my own harshest critic, so if I can be proud of a performance I put in on a Saturday, then in my head I’ve no doubt that anyone else could be as well.”

In addition to Hirst, Clarke has picked Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, Lawrence Shankland and Ross Stewart to provide the goals when the Scots face Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in their group matches.

“We’ve probably all got slightly different strengths,” Hirst considered. “I think there’s strikers in this squad that will fit any sort of eventuality, really. I provide a little bit of pace up there. I’ve got the height as well.

“I’m going to be there and ready to be called upon whenever that is, whether that’s one minute, whether that’s 90 minutes, and whoever the gaffer picks is who the gaffer picks.

“You’re all fighting for the same thing, but you all want to be involved. It’s going to be a really healthy competition, as is always a good thing.

“Hopefully I can train well, I’ve got the friendly games, get minutes in them and give the manager something to think about.”

He says he’s been preparing for the conditions in the US: “I got into hot pod yoga two weeks ago because I was trying to find something that would get me used to the heat out there. I’m not a massive fan of the heat so it’s been good,” he said.

“It’s as simple as it sounds. It’s normal yoga in a tent that’s 40 degrees hot. It’s not easy but I love it. I’ve started to really enjoy it and I’ll probably carry it on after the tournament.”

Hirst, whose father David won three caps for England, qualifies to wear the dark blue through his grandfather.

“Playing for Scotland was an opportunity to firstly represent my grandad,” he said. “He’s no longer with us, but he’d have been extremely proud of me to do that. But I didn’t see a World Cup, it wasn’t something I was thinking about.

“I remember when I was younger kicking the ball around in the back garden. He was constantly on about scoring a goal for Scotland, it was never anything else. So that was a massive factor in my decision.

“My grandad was Eric Hirst, my dad is David Eric Hirst and I’m George David Eric Hirst. So my son’s going to have a hell of a driving licence isn’t he? It’s quite a mouthful, but it’s not something I can ever forget. When someone asks me for my full name, I’m saying my dad’s and my grandad’s name as well.

“It’s a constant inspiration for me. He never really got to see me play, he passed away when I was six or seven. But I still remember him mentioning it to me to this day. Having those little reminders and motivational things in my head makes me really proud.” 

Blues boss Kieran McKenna has been linked with the Celtic manager’s job this summer, but it seems unlikely that the Glasgow side would stump up the required compensation, which is believed to be in the region of £8 million, while McKenna appears to relish the opportunity to test himself in the Premier League for a second time with Town next season.

“Of course, you see the links with Kieran because no-one lives under a rock,” the striker continued.

“But I’m delighted that he’s still with us. Hopefully he can stay even longer and make me an even better player. For Ipswich, we’ll always be a better club with him as manager.”

Reflecting on club manager McKenna and international boss Clarke, he said: “They’ve both been absolutely brilliant for me in different ways.

“The gaffer here, Steve, gives me that straight talking attitude. He tells me, this is what you offer, this is what I see you offering - and you need to do that.

“I’ve always enjoyed that. That was the way my dad was with me, always straight to the point and not mincing his words.

“Kieran at Ipswich has transformed me as a player. I’ve had three and a half years now and I genuinely believe I wouldn’t be sitting here now if it wasn’t for him and the work he’s put in with me.

“Both are different managers but they have an incredible way of doing things. Both of them work, as you’ve seen with the success Steve has had here and what Kieran has done at Ipswich.

“There’s no right or wrong way. Both managers have their own way of doing it and they’ve both been successful.”

Meanwhile, Town loanee Dan Neil is reported to be in talks with Rangers about a move north of the border, his Sunderland contract having been up at the end of the season.

“Dan is a quality player. I can’t say a bad word about him as a guy, either. He came to us in January and fitted in straight away,” Hirst added.

“He’s excellent on the ball, tidy and clean, and he’s always looking to make things happen. Off the ball, he does the dirty stuff as well and gives the team real balance.

“He’s a great professional and a good character in the dressing room too, which is just as important. Whoever gets him will be lucky to have him.”

Photo: Ger Harley/Sportpix/Sipa USA