Tom Cairney hoping to impress Scotland manager Alex McLeish

Tom Cairney is hoping to stake a place in the Scotland team under returning manager Alex McLeish.

The 27-year-old Fulham midfielder was capped once by former boss Gordon Strachan against Canada in a friendly last year.

Playing for a Craven Cottage side which is third in the Sky Bet Championship, Cairney is determined to impress McLeish and make his mark as a new-look squad prepare for the friendly double-header against Costa Rica on Friday night and Hungary next Tuesday.

He said: “I have been playing well the last few seasons for Fulham and I feel like I am getting better.

“I don’t think I am at my peak yet, but I feel like I am playing good football and hopefully I can carry that on at Scotland.

“I will look to do what I do for my club, get on the ball, try to make good play and nick a goal when I can.

“I am 27 now and have played a lot of games so I would like to think that I could try to get a place in this team as hard as that is.

“It is a new start, new regime and has a good feeling to it. He (McLeish) will look at everyone over the next two games and take it from there.

“So hopefully we can get off to a good start on Friday.”