Scottish Premiership award winner using 46-cap man to ignite Scotland dream amid praise for Hearts starlet

Stewart, 22, took the headlines on Wednesday night as he bagged an impressive brace in Scotland Under-21s 5-2 victory over Azerbaijan in the European Championship qualifiers. The West Brom hitman admits the arrival of the Belgian boss, combined with Tony Docherty’s appointment as under-21s manager, is giving him genuine hope that he can become Scotland’s next No 9.

The former Falkirk forward won the SWFA young player of the year award after scoring 10 goals in 21 games for the Bairns last year, before joining EFL Championship side WBA for £1.5million in the summer. After watching several of his teammates make the jump to the senior team in recent weeks, Stewart wants to prove he has what it takes as well.

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“There are boys in the senior squad,” said Stewart. “I played with Luke Graham in the 21s and Kristi Montgomery, Colby Donovan and a couple of others too. So it shows that doing well for the under-21s can give you that opportunity into the first team and it gives all of us younger players hope that our time will come eventually or at some point in the future

“In the first team, there are loads of good strikers. Obviously, for me being younger, I want to be in the next generation of Scottish strikers. I don't want to get ahead of myself because I am not starting for my club back home. So I have got to take it one step at a time, but obviously my long term goal is to play for Scotland. But there are plenty of good Scotland strikers. I loved playing with James [Wilson, Hearts striker] off the shoulder. It was the first time I have played with him and he doesn't stop running so that's helpful for me.

“It feels like we are being watched and seen. We knew the assistant manager [Alan Irvine] from the Scotland team was here and we are playing the same football. They have got a pathway for us and they sort of know what they want from us and where they want us to go. It's not just a case of playing for the Under 21s and then just sort of disappearing. You will get the opportunity if you perform at this level so it is really good to see.”

Currently playing under 46-year-old former Scotland international James Morrison at West Brom, Stewart believes he can only benefit from his experience and revealed which lessons he has learnt from the Baggies manager in the opening weeks of the campaign at the Hawthorns.

“The standard is a step up and it has been difficult, but I am learning in training and getting more minutes every game,” admitted Stewart. “Hopefully, I am learning well and I will eventually get a start. But it's a patience game and the gaffer down there knows what he is doing with me. He is also aware of my plans with him being Scottish and he knows how I want to develop. I hope to get in their first team eventually. It's not a quick process, but I don't mind it.

“He knows about my journey from university football to English Championship football. So it's not just going to be a straight line, is it? There are going to be some bumps on the road. Obviously, not starting is one of them, but I am still getting on and it shows he has trust in me. We will see where it takes us later on in the season.”