Scotland 2-1 Belarus reaction
Scotland striker still feeling young despite hitting wrong side of 30
Although he has the self-confidence that means he will always back himself, Lyndon Dykes hasn’t got a big, tattooed centre-forward in mind when he talks about “heroes of Scotland”.
He is thinking instead of the likes of Andy Robertson and John McGinn, who, he feels, are deserving of the chance to play at a World Cup after a career where they have helped take the Scotland international team to a different level.
“They’re the heroes of Scotland in my eyes,” says Dykes. “The numbers they’ve done at clubs like Liverpool have been amazing. For what they bring to Scotland, for all the young kids coming through, it shows where they can get to by looking at them and some other boys in the team. They’ve been at the Euros and now they have the World Cup on their minds. It's been such a long time and now everyone's speaking about it. For them as well as me, I would love to see the joy and for them to get it because I think they deserve it.”
Lyndon Dykes will be hoping to earn his 47th Scotland cap against Greece on Saturday. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)placeholder image
Lyndon Dykes will be hoping to earn his 47th Scotland cap against Greece on Saturday. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group
Both now on the wrong side of 30, Robertson and McGinn are both often banded together when the discussion turns to those in the last chance World Cup saloon. But Dykes, too, has entered his fourth decade. He has been integral to Scotland's renaissance and fully merits a chance to play on the greatest stage of all, particularly having missed out on Euro 2024 due to an ankle ligament injury sustained in the pre-tournament camp. He turned 30 during the last international window and might also sense that this is the last dance.
“I'm getting old now, I guess so,” he says, while on a Zoom call from Turkey where Scotland are preparing for Saturday’s vital qualifier against Greece. “I still feel good. I remember a few years ago, everyone said 30 was you in your prime. There were foreign players at that age who were still playing unbelievably. But at the moment if you hit 30 people seem to think you’re old. I don't see that being the case with myself. I still feel good, I still feel young and hopefully I can keep playing as long as I can. If I'm still producing and giving something to the team I want to play for Scotland as long as I can.”
Although it’s not something he desired, his current circumstances might help to that end. Dykes is finding it hard to break into the Birmingham City first team. One happy consequence is that he's limiting the wear and tear.
Scotland's Lyndon Dykes celebrates as he scores to make it 3-1 over Greece at Hampden last month. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)placeholder image
Scotland's Lyndon Dykes celebrates as he scores to make it 3-1 over Greece at Hampden last month. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group
Like teammate Kyogo Furuhashi, he seems to be a permanent fixture on the substitutes’ bench. All his five club appearances since he scored for Scotland last month against Greece, when he also came off the bench, have been late cameos. It’s not ideal but he’s processed this supersub role, for the time being at least.
“I had a bit of an injury at the end of last season,” he explains. “But I went through all of pre-season and this whole season so far injury-free. I feel strong, really fit, really confident. I haven’t started many games but that’s not my decision.
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“You have to change your mindset a bit to still be 100% committed,” he adds. “I've got little game time in the Championship this year from what I've been used to in previous years but I'm still trying to do my best.
“I’ve scored a couple of goals to get points for Birmingham, scored recently for Scotland as well. Getting a little bit older now, I've come to a different place mentally as well. I feel strong in my mind and strong in my body and when they both connect, I feel in a good place. In professional sport, if you're mentally strong, you can perform.”