International hopes for Rams duo.

New Rams players Gary Teale and Stephen Pearson feel playing regularly for Derby County will boost their chances of winning more international caps for Scotland, and help the nation to the 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland.

Both players left their previous clubs due to the lack of first team football, and they believe getting that opportunity at Pride Park will boast their chances of a recall to the National side.

Teale has represented Scotland eight times, and his first appearances came in a 3-1 defeat to Switzerland on 1 March 2006. His last for the Tartan army side was in October’s famous European championship qualifier against France, which Scotland won 1-0. He also appeared as a substitute in the 6-0 thumping of the Faroe Islands a month earlier.

The speedy winger believes if he performs well for the Rams a place in the National side will hopefully come. He said: ‘I don’t see dropping down to the Championship as a problem for my international career because there are a few players from Championship clubs in the Scottish squad, so as long as I am playing well it should be OK.’

Pearson looked to have a bright future on the international stage following his debut in the Euro 2004 play-off victory over Holland at Hampden Park but has collected only five more caps since.But again due to lack of football Pearson has not figured in the Scotland plans his last came in the 4-1 defeat by Sweden, which was more than two years ago.
‘I hope playing regularly for Derby will help my chances of winning more caps but my first thought is doing well for Derby,’ said Pearson.
‘The team is going well at the moment and so I know I’ll not be able to walk straight in.’

Scotland face two qualifiers in March when they entertain Georgia and then play Italy away, but before then the Scottish FA need to find a new coach after Walter Smith re-joined Glasgow Rangers as a coach last week. The SFA has a list of candidates to replace Smith and Alex McLeish is understood to be their favoured option. Once this has been decided the Rams pair can look for forward further International caps, but first, they can be both part of a Rams side who moves into the Premiership next season.