Celtic and Rangers foes pitched into unlikely bromance as Ryan Jack and Callum McGregor’s sizzling chemistry set for Premier League examination

When asked about his unlikely relationship with his Celtic nemesis Jack smiled: “When you are playing at club level and it doesn’t matter who you are playing against, whether it is Celtic players, Aberdeen players or whoever it may be, it is always going to be fierce and there are always going to be battles. We are rivals.
“But when you come away with Scotland, it changes and you are all striving and pushing for the same objective for the nation and the country. When we come away, club rivalries get pushed to one side and that is the way it should be. When we play games, we are all striving to do well for Scotland.
“I really enjoyed the last couple of games. They were two strong team performances.
“I wouldn’t just say it was down to two individuals. We got on really well during the game and as a team I thought we did well. Whoever the manager goes with, I am sure we will be looking to have another two strong performances this time around.”
True love, of course, never runs smooth. Which is why Jack has a fight on his hands just to make sure he can take it to the next level over the course of this latest international fling in the Nations League.
First, a Friday night dress rehearsal against Israel – who return to Hampden next month for the much anticipated Euro 2020 play-off – followed by a city break in Olomouc and a showdown with the Czech Republic next Monday.
And, as Jack attempts to establish himself as a linchpin for the international side, he knows the competition for places is hotting up all around.
Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, Stuart Armstrong of Southampton, Sheffield United play-maker John Fleck and Kenny McLean of Norwich are all part of the same central argument and even if Aston Villa talisman John McGinn has been reinvented under Clarke as a second striker, he too could remain in the mix for a midfield berth.
And that’s before Billy Gilmour gets back to the business of braking through the ranks at Chelsea.
With just four full caps under his belt, then, Jack can afford to take nothing for granted.
He continued: “It’s a hard battle in the midfield area.
“There is a lot of talent in the squad but you look at the midfielders and there are so many playing at a top level – domestically and at European level.
“But it’s good because you come away and test yourself, and look to put in a shift to get in the manager’s thoughts and plans.
“This trip is no different. We all want to play but if you do well in training then hopefully that’lll be enough.”
And yet the fact remains, all of these players are now edging tantalisingly close to the chance of leading Scotland to a major finals for the first time in 22 years.
They may all just have found themselves coming together at the right place and at the right time.
Jack nodded: “We have a great opportunity to really go and stamp our authority and show that we can be the ones that can take the country to a European Finals.
“For us, the ones that are in the squad just now, we are the lucky ones that have got the chance to do that. “The mentality going forward, as I have said before, is to have a really strong trip here and then lead into next month.
“We know that is going to be make or break. As players, that is what you want to be involved in and I am sure, as players, we can step up and stamp our authority on it.”
Which is why Friday night’s visit from the Israelis is an opportunity which Scotland must not miss. A chance to knock the stuffing out of the very side that will return here next month looking to block Scotland’s path back out of these heart-breaking wilderness years.
Jack said: “It’s definitely a chance to lay down a marker.
“It’s a bit strange that you are going to have a game against Israel before the play-off match. But it will give both teams a chance to look at each other.
“I have said before that it’s up to us to lay a marker and say, ‘This is what’s to come’.
“It’s important we get a couple of positive results and take all that momentum forward.”