Sheffield Wednesday: Liam Palmer seeks to make the most of Scotland chance

Liam Palmer is aiming to make his mark when he goes away on international duty with Scotland next week.
Liam Palmer won his first Scotland call-up yesterdayLiam Palmer won his first Scotland call-up yesterday
Liam Palmer won his first Scotland call-up yesterday

The defender won his first senior call-up on Tuesday, joining Owls team-mate Barry Bannan in Alex McLeish's 27-man squad.

Now Palmer, capped eight times at Scotland Under-21s level, has set his sights on being involved in their opening Euro 2020 qualifiers against Kazakhstan and San Marino.

Liam Palmer won his first Scotland call-up yesterdayLiam Palmer won his first Scotland call-up yesterday
Liam Palmer won his first Scotland call-up yesterday
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"The experience of going away with players from Manchester United and Liverpool is not something that comes around every day," he told The Star. "Fingers crossed I can get some minutes and have that international tag.

"No one can then take that away from you.

"It will be brilliant.

"I'm just itching to meet up with a few of the boys that I have not seen since the Under-21 camps.

"I'm looking forward to it."

The 27-year-old is looking forward to seeing a few familiar faces.

He said: "It is a massive help going into a new set up that I know Bazza (Barry Bannan) and a few of the boys from my U21 days.

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"I've known Bazza for years now and it will be good to meet up with the lads from when I when played for the U21s. They are all good lads.

Worksop-born Palmer, who qualifies to play for this country through a grandmother who hails from Carluke, has been inundated with goodwill messages from family, friends and Wednesday fans since receiving his call-up.

He said: "I have had great support from family and friends. People that you might not speak to every day. They are all obviously proud and rooting for you so it is great."

It is Palmer's consistent performances at club level that has alerted the Scotland national selectors. The versatile Owls defender has produced a string of fine performances to cement a regular starting sport.

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"It (Scotland) has always been there but one of the things I always wanted to do was play regularly here," said Palmer, whose contract runs out this summer. "That was, first and foremost, what I wanted to do and anything else was a big bonus.

"I'm delighted it (the call-up) has finally come and hopefully I will get through Saturday unscathed. If we get another three points, I will be happy.

Did Palmer ever think he would have to leave HIllsborough to realise his international ambitions?

"You concentrate on keeping yourself right and you always hope that you get in the team and go on a good run," he said.

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"But for anyone who is not involved, the ethos at the club and what the lads have always done is to work hard. You have to keep each other going and that is the way you have got to be as a group."

Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday’s Under-23s were held to a goalless draw at Barnsley today.