Club before country: Sheffield Wednesday midfielder shrugs off latest international snub

That’s about as much as the 29-year-old midfielder can do to impact on Scotland’s fortunes at current, after he was yet again left out of Steve Clarke’s squad for their final Euro 2020 qualifiers against Cyprus and Kazakhstan.

The diminutive Scot hasn’t played for his country for over two years and while he said he would like the opportunity to add to his 27 caps, he admitted his priority is with his club, not his country, for the foreseeable future.

Bannan was placed on standby by boss Steve Clarke for their recent trip to Russia and was asked to fill out a visa, but did not get the call. He said: “To be honest I need a rest.

“I shouldn’t be saying this, but I am probably quite happy not to be in, as I have a lot of niggles at the moment.

“I have never ruled it out and if I get picked I get picked. If I don’t, I am happy playing for my club every week. As long as I am fit and playing for my club every week, that’s all that bothers me.”

Palmer, the only Owls representative with Steven Fletcher also missing out, will hope to add to his three Scotland caps as the Tartan Army make the trip to Cyprus on Saturday. Bannan said he will be watching on with interest.

“If I’m not playing I watch them and I always want to follow them, it’s my country, but I am just concentrating on my job here, if I keep performing here, hopefully I can get in.

“Steve picks his team and that’s that. It’s all about opinions in football. He’s the manager.”