DANNY FOX used to wonder if he had been awarded two caps when he first appeared in a Scotland shirt almost three years ago: his first and his last.
His would prove a difficult debut, the national team slumping to a 3-0 friendly defeat by Wales that would cost manager George Burley his job. Two months later and Fox's brief stint at Celtic was at an end, the full-back moving to join Burnley in the Premier League and seemingly dropping off the Scotland radar as a result.
He would continue to scan Craig Levein's squad listings – more in hope than expectation – but would be left disappointed at every turn. It seemed as if it wasn't just Burley's Scotland career that ended on that miserable afternoon in Cardiff.
Fox moved from Burnley to Southampton at the start of last season, signing a four-year deal. It would prove an astute decision. Nigel Adkins had just taken the team into the npower Championship and was putting together a group many thought capable of pushing for a successive promotion. Fox went on to make 43 appearances as Southampton did just that, finishing as runners-up to champions Reading to return to the Premier League for the first time in seven years.
Levein could ignore Fox no longer. The 26 year-old's inclusion last week in a Scotland squad for the first time since November 2009 was almost overlooked given the controversy over Lee Wallace's omission and Ian Black's subsequent call-up but he would make himself noticed when the game got underway, serving up two assists as Scotland skewered Australia 3-1 at Easter Road. He should also have been sent off for handling the ball at the goal-line during the first half.
It had been a long road back to international football for the one-time England under-21 cap and he seemed determined to savour the moment. "I don't think you ever lose hope," he said. "When you're playing every Saturday and Tuesday you don't really have time to dwell on other things. But every time the Scotland squad came out I'd take a look to see if I was in it and it was a bit of a disappointment when I wasn't.
"I didn't want to be a one-cap wonder. When I then got the phonecall from the SFA a few weeks ago it was a no-brainer when they asked me if I wanted to be involved in the squad. I'm glad I'm back being a part of it and I hope I can stay a part of it."
He has mixed feelings about his Scotland debut as what should have been the pinnacle of any player's career – a first international cap – was overshadowed by the team's performance and the subsequent dismissal of the manager. "That was a bitter-sweet day for me, to be honest," Fox recalled. "It was the ultimate high getting my first international cap and within the space of 90 minutes it was all over. It was for George [Burley] unfortunately."
Fox's return to the international scene could not have been better timed. Scotland are back in competitive action next month when the World Cup qualifying campaign gets under way and his impressive sophomore performance against Australia would seem to have enhanced his chances of starting against Serbia and Macedonia.
"I enjoyed every minute of it out on the pitch and it's something I'll savour. It's something I want to do again so hopefully I've played myself into the manager's thoughts," he said. "Just to be involved this week was a proud moment for me and I've enjoyed it thoroughly. With the type of football we played at times against Australia I think we can surprise a few people. The gaffer said it was like chalk and cheese from the game in America [when Scotland lost 5-1]. The new season's coming up and everyone's fresh."
Levein, in explaining Wallace's omission from his squad, said he wanted his players to be competing against the elite on a weekly basis – "best versus best". Fox would seem to meet that criterion. His return to Premier League football could not be more difficult, with Southampton heading to take on champions Manchester City on Sunday.
"The manager wants his players to be testing themselves against the best in the world and we've got Man City so there's no better place to start," he said. "We're going to City as underdogs but I think we can surprise a few people this season. You look at what Norwich and Swansea did last year. They surprised people just by surviving. The Premier League is the place to be so, hopefully, I can be a part of things as the team progresses."
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