Craig Gordon has been delighted to watch on from afar this season as some of his Scotland teammates have excelled in Italy, with the slight pangs of jealousy the keeper has felt being more than offset by the benefit he believes their experiences in Serie A will now bring to the national side.
The veteran keeper, who has cited Italian legend Gigi Buffon as an inspiration as he continues to perform at the top level into his forties, had one or two chances to go abroad during his career that never quite materialised.
He is certain that had those opportunities amounted to anything, he would have benefitted from the chance to play in a different league, and he is equally certain that what the likes of Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson and Che Adams have been exposed to in Italian football will have improved them as players.
“Absolutely,” Gordon said.
“It's a different experience. It's a different style of football. That can only add to the experience of the squad as a whole and help everybody else. It's definitely going to help.
“When you see some of the reports and also the stats that Scotty has put in, the goals that he's scored to help them win the league, it was a tremendous achievement.
“It’s brilliant to have them playing at such a high level and going into the Champions League. It's fantastic for the boys to be there to get that.
“I think everybody in the whole squad has been rooting for them.”
A curious thing about goalkeepers, given that they are all vying for the one position, is that they tend to also root for one another even when they are in direct competition for the gloves, and such is the case with Gordon and Angus Gunn.
Gunn, who was released by Norwich City at the end of the season, will join up with the Scotland squad for the forthcoming friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein while Gordon will not. But the Hearts number one is hoping Gunn can put himself in the shop window with a couple of impressive displays for his country.
“I'm sure a goalkeeper of his quality will get picked up,” he said.
“There will definitely be teams after a goalie of that type, without a doubt. I'm sure he'll get a club, no problem.
“It's up to all the goalies around the national team to get games. It's been difficult for a few this season to get the number of games at club level to force their way into Scotland reckoning.
“But next season it all changes and there will be a few guys moving club. And every situation changes at every club. So, it's starting afresh and having to work for that all over again.
“Absolutely, he will be [challenging to be Scotland number one]. I have absolutely no doubt that he will be.”
Gordon now has 81 caps for Scotland, keeping 34 clean sheets along the way, but his desire to keep going is not driven by a want to see himself climbing the all-time appearance list, but a desire to appear at a World Cup in a Scotland jersey.
“Yes, I'm still going,” he said.
“I want to play as well as I can for as long as I can, however long that may be.
“I'm in the top five [for appearances] now. There's a few just below me that I think will probably catch me one day. But certainly, for me, it's not all about the numbers. It's about still playing well and helping the team. If I'm not doing that, then I don't want to be just chasing numbers.
“September, October, November, two games in each. At the end of that you could know whether you're going to the World Cup or not. It's coming all over in the space of six months, and that includes the warm-up to it.
“The last game [against Greece] was disappointing. After a very good result and a good performance away, we didn't hit those heights back at Hampden. It's something that we want to get together, address, and try and not let that happen again.”
*Craig Gordon was speaking at a launch event for Scotland Supporters Club (SSC) members for the new JD Buchanan Street Store, which is now open.
