Home fires McBurning

EXPERIENCED Hull frontman McBurnie says he learned so much playing in Spain's La Liga with Las Palmas but has grown up even more after becoming a dad

- BY SCOTT MCDERMOTT

He might be the forgotten man... but Oli says he's matured into a striker worthy of Scotland

THE irony isn't lost on Oli McBurnie. When he started racking up his 16 Scotland caps, he was still rough around the edges.

On the pitch, he was seen as a bit of an enigma.

Despite having undoubted talent, which saw Sheffield United pay £20million for his services in August 2019, he was unpredictable.

Sensational one minute, scruffy the next. And when it came to playing up front for his country, goals were difficult to come by — with none scored.

Off the pitch, he was equally ragged.

Brushes with the law did him no favours as naivety and immaturity threatened to derail his career.

Basically, when he was thrust into the limelight for Scotland, he hadn't properly developed yet - as a player or as a man.

Yet now, at 29 years old, McBurnie finds himself in a different space.

In terms of life experience, becoming a father to two baby daughters is bound to change any man.

If that wasn't enough, his yearlong stint at Spanish club Las Palmas - then in the top tier - didn't just improve his game, it also broadened his mind.

Last summer, he decided to move back to Yorkshire by signing for Championship side Hull City.

And, having bagged 14 goals in 28 games for the Tigers this season, he’s bang in form.

In football and in life, McBurnie is thriving again.

However, there's one thing missing. So far, he’s been unable to force his way back into the Scotland setup.

Incredibly, it's been nearly five years since his last cap against the Faroe Islands in 2021.

With a World Cup finals this summer, it’s no surprise he wants that to change.

And, according to McBurnie, he’s far more equipped to lead the line for Scotland now than he was back then.