Kevin Kyle knows he will forever be associated with the Faroe Islands and Berti Vogts' disastrous tenure as Scotland manager. But the towering striker hopes his move to Kilmarnock, after he parted company with Coventry City by mutual consent, can resurrect his international ambitions.
Kyle won the last of his nine caps in the 1-0 defeat to Denmark in April 2004 as Vogts blooded youngsters on the international stage, and admitted it seems so long ago he can barely remember what it felt like representing his country.
While the likes of Darren Fletcher, James McFadden, Craig Gordon and Gary Caldwell have gone on to become mainstays of the Scotland side, Kyle was one of many who fell by the wayside during the Vogts era.
Having never played a first-team game for Sunderland when he won his first cap, Kyle knows international football came too soon for him. Now older and wiser and, reaching his physical peak at the age of 27, he hopes over the next 18 months with Kilmarnock he can force his way back into the Scotland set-up.
Kyle said: "People talk about me winning Scotland caps, but that seems a long time ago now. My girlfriend asked me if that was my fondest memory and what did it feel like when I played at Hampden, but I can't actually remember the feeling. It's probably one of the best things I've done and you can tell your kids and grandkids about it. If I can get playing every week and do well, then you never know what can happen.
"Scotland was a long time ago. It was under Berti Vogts, people were getting chances and caps were being thrown around. But if you look at the Scotland team now, a lot of the players were ones Berti gave a chance to.
"I'd not played for the Sunderland first team and I was getting capped for Scotland, which was strange as I didn't have much experience. Scotland came too soon for me. I'll never regret winning the caps but it would have been better if it was a few years after I'd been playing for Sunderland.
"I wanted to do well, but lacked the experience. In some games I did well, but in others I was hopeless, such as the Faroes, which I'll never forget. I don't think the papers or some individuals will either. But it's all about Kilmarnock now and playing week in, week out and doing well."
Stranraer-born Kyle has spent his whole career in England, coming through the ranks at Sunderland then moving to Coventry as well as numerous loan spells, but is delighted to be back home, even though he could have cashed in elsewhere.
He said: "Jim Jefferies has been after me for years, when he was at Hearts and Bradford. He's shown a keenness for me, so I gave him a call and asked what Kilmarnock will do for me. After that, I told him to get on to my agent and it was done and dusted within five minutes.
"It would have been a regret if I'd not played in the SPL. My dad used to take me years ago to Celtic games and I always wanted to play in Scotland. I know people say it's not the best league, but Celtic and Rangers qualify for the Champions League most years so it can't be that bad.
"I know it won't be easy but I've goals I want to achieve. I was offered more elsewhere but it wasn't about that. It was about me playing football.
"I'm now looking forward to the next 18 months. I can't wait to get started and it's a great game to start with as St Mirren are opening their new stadium. They asked me today if I was fit enough to go straight in. I played 15 games on loan at Hartlepool and although I've not played since December 28, I've trained most days and have kept myself in shape, so I should be fine."
