Oli McBurnie's World Cup hopes set to fall victim to Scotland 'loyalty' despite Hull City goals
When Hull City needed him most, Oli McBurnie came to the party. Again.
The Leeds-born striker's two goals at home to Norwich City ended the Tigers' six-match winless streak just in time to put them in the Championship play-off places.
It was no flash in the pan from the former Bradford City, Barnsley and Sheffield United striker.
With the exception of two months on the sidelines in late 2025 with a calf injury, he has been doing this all season.
It is why he finished the regular season joint second in the division's goalscoring charts, with 17.
Throw in seven assists, and he ranks above Coventry City's Haji Wright.
Only Patrick Bamford of the Championship's top 20 strikers can better his 54 per cent shot accuracy, according to the number-crunchers.
He has seven more league goals than Torino's former Sheffield United forward Che Adams and Charlton Athletic's Lyndon Dykes (both five) combined.
And yet the chances of McBurnie adding to his 16 Scotland caps won between 2018 and 2021 look thin. Even a brilliant play-offs seem unlikely to change that.
George Hirst, the son of Sheffield Wednesday legend David who was six fewer second-tier goals for Ipswich Town this term, Tommy Conway (13 Middlesbrough goals) and Lawrence Shankland (13 for Heart of Midlothian) will all most probably get the call first from Scotland coach Steve Clarke.
"I don't really sit anywhere," explained McBurnie, when asked recently where he was in the international pecking order. "I rang the manager when the last squad was getting announced (in March) just to see his feelings on things.
"He said to me he builds his squads on loyalty and that Che and Dykes have done really well for him. So he sees them two ahead of me.
"He doesn't see me as a third or fourth-choice striker, so he's comparing me against Che and Dykes.
"I'd do anything to get back into that Scotland squad. I feel like I'm playing as well as I have done in however long and all I can do is keep performing for Hull and see where it gets me."
Picking a World Cup squad is about more than ability alone, and McBurnie's commitment to the cause has been questioned in the past.
But managed correctly it is hard to imagine many strikers better placed to give Scotland's first World Cup since 1998 the firepower it badly needs.