MEGAN Cunningham admits she was ‘surprised but over the moon’ to receive her first Scotland call-up in six years.
The goalkeeper is one of seven Rangers players named in Stuart McLaren’s squad for their upcoming UEFA Euro 2022 qualifying matches.
Cunningham, who made her debut for the national side in 2015, is honoured to be back with the squad.
Speaking to RangersTV, she said: “I was very surprised, obviously being called up to represent your country is a big honour and I have not been involved in the squad for a long long time so it did come as a surprise and I think it is very situational.
“I am over the moon, very honoured and just really happy to get back on the football pitch.
“I had a really bad injury a few years ago which set me back for a year and after that my mindset slightly changed and I just really wanted to get back on the pitch in whatever form that was and just get back to enjoying football again.
“I am always aiming to play at the highest level I possibly can and the National team is a huge honour and I think everyone has aspirations to play and represent their country.
“I just really want to be playing football whether that's club level or international level. I feel very grateful everyday that I am still able to be on the pitch after coming back from quite a bad injury.”
With Jenna Fife, Nicola Docherty, Lizzie Arnot, Rachel McLauchlan, Zoe Ness and Sam Kerr all also called up from the Gers squad, Cunningham feels it is credit to the club for backing the women’s programme.
She continued: “It is excellent and it is credit to the club and how they have looked after us all.
“I think even with us being in such a difficult position this year it has been good having that full-time backroom staff we have had during this lockdown.
“It’s the club’s first year of pushing through full-time football for females in this country and it is credit to them and just shows the quality of players we have managed to recruit.
“I think it can only raise standards at the club and raise the standard of the whole league because hopefully other clubs will want to aspire to that as well.
“It is great for the girls individually to be called-up but it is obviously a big statement from the club and I am really happy for them because they have put a lot of work into helping support us and it is nice to give them something back.”
Looking ahead to the two games, Cunningham says it is important Scotland try to end their group campaign on a high after defeat to Finland in October ruled out the possibility of qualifying for Euro 2022.
She concluded: “I think it is obviously disappointing for the girls that were previously involved in the campaign and I think everyone felt that.
“It was a hard one to take because the girls are more than capable with the quality in the squad to go and qualify but it has been a difficult run for them.
“There's players who have never been involved before and there's people that haven't been involved for a long time who have been called up for these games.
“With restrictions, there’s a lot of home-based players that are getting an opportunity to go in there and experience international football.
“It will be nice for them to go out and play maybe in a slightly more relaxed atmosphere as there's not a lot of pressure but we want to win and I think that's what we’ll be aiming to do and at least come away with positive results.”
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