Southampton: Che Adams can inspire other players with Scotland choice

It was announced on Tuesday that Southampton striker Che Adams had chosen to represent Scotland at international level and had been called up for fixtures against Austria, Israel and the Faroe Islands.

Talks with current Scotland manager Steve Clarke had convinced the 24-year-old to reject hopes of future involvement with England and move his allegiance north of the border. He qualifies to play for Scotland through one of his grandparents.

Adams’ call-up takes the number of Saints in the squad for upcoming matches to two, with Stuart Armstrong retaining his place following impressive displays on the South Coast.

What this story hopefully does is inspire other players to take other national team options to further their careers.

Playing for Scotland can take Southampton’s Adams to the next level

Adams has improved as a player since joining Saints and shows excellent hold-up play in games whilst also weighing in with a healthy amount of goals too.

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Despite some promising displays for his club, he did not look close to breaking into the England setup. The plethora of alternatives for Gareth Southgate means that players who are not playing for one of the bigger clubs in England are unlikely to get a call-up unless they have outstanding seasons.

Plenty of Saints players have impressed enough in the eyes of supporters to break into the national setup but have so often been overlooked, and this is why it is a positive move for Adams to choose a different path.

With Scotland, he can become the main man in attack if he hits the ground running. Steve Clarke has some top players available to him but there is a gaping hole upfront and they desperately need a source of goals from someone.

Scotland have a rich footballing history of their own and this will come with a burden for Adams to deal with – especially when fans are allowed back in stadiums.

However, strong displays for his new national side will definitely help him build some momentum at club level, meaning Saints and Scotland could well benefit in the long-term.

With other players, including Nathan Redmond, looking at switches too, Adams can be an inspiration for those who no longer want to be overlooked.