MX23RW : Friday, April 26 05:10:03| >> :60:1616:1616:

Paul Hanlon delighted to finally earn first Scotland cap

The 30-year-old featured in the Nations League victory over the Czech Republic.

Hibernian defender Paul Hanlon was delighted to realise a long-held ambition to play for Scotland but is hungry for more caps.

Hanlon played 10 times for Scotland Under-19s and won 23 caps for the Under-21s but had to wait until the age of 30 to make his full international debut in Wednesday's Nations League victory over the Czech Republic.

Hanlon, who came off the bench in an unfamiliar wing-back role, said: "I'm absolutely over the moon to get the cap. I have worked hard for a long time hoping that would happen.

"Especially when I was younger I played a lot of games for the 19s and 21s and had been in the squad for the first team before and not managed to get that cap. So to finally get one was great and something I will always be proud of.

"I didn't expect it to be in a wing-back role but I was delighted to get on the pitch all the same.

"It was great to be involved and get the call. I'm happy to have played a part in the success we had over the camp.

"Obviously I missed a lot of preparations and by the time I joined the squad it was a lot of recovery-based stuff so I never got a lot of time on the pitch with the players.

"But I was happy to be there, happy to be called upon and happy to contribute to a great win."

Hanlon joined fellow Hibs defenders Ryan Porteous and Paul McGinn in the squad and he knows that would not have been possible had it not been for their improved defensive record this season.

Hibs have kept four clean sheets in 10 league games ahead of Saturday's trip to face Ross County in Dingwall.

"I think that's definitely why," he said. "We have put in a good start to the season and got ourselves in a good position in the league, and that's what gets you recognised.

"For the three of us now it's about going back to the league form, trying to keep that going and hopefully we will get more recognition in the future.

"It was something we didn't do as well last season and we wanted to improve but we are under no illusions, it takes a lot of work to do it and we have to keep doing it week in, week out."

ID:418645: cacheID:418645:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3423:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Stephen 'Stevie' Mallan in action for Hibernian in April 2019
Read Next:
Hibs assistant John Potter credits Stevie Mallan for victory over Forfar
>
Read more about Paul Hanlon Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Bublik
Carballes Baena
10am
Marozsan
Cerundolo
10am
Musetti
Seyboth Wild
10am
Paul
Klein
10am
Rublev
Bagnis
10am
Andreeva
Noskova
10am
Bronzetti
Rybakina
10am
Garcia
Wang
10am
Pavlyuchenkova
Saville
11.30am
Altmaier
Fils
11.30am
Martin Etcheverry
Shapovalov
11.30am
Alexandrova
Krueger
11.30am
Bucsa
Kasatkina
11.30am
Dolehide
Kalinina
11.30am
Jimenez Kasintseva
Paolini
11.30am
Linette
Sabalenka
1pm
Baez
Van Assche
1pm
Hurkacz
Draper
1pm
Bejlek
Kalinskaya
1pm
Cristian
Krejcikova
1pm
Kostyuk
Sherif
2pm
Zheng
Putintseva
2.30pm
Humbert
Van De Zandschulp
2.30pm
Darderi
Fritz
2.30pm
Boulter
Montgomery
3pm
Shevchenko
Alcaraz
3.30pm
Vondrousova
Rogers
4pm
Griekspoor
Daniel
4pm
Munar
Struff
5pm
Navone
Rune
7pm
Coric
Zverev
8.30pm
Collins
Danilovic
11.30am
Shang
Davidovich Fokina
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!