Dylan McGeouch has revealed he was disappointed to miss out on the Scotland squad for the upcoming international matches, but intends to play his way back into Alex McLeish’s thoughts.

The 25-year-old midfielder joined Sunderland in the summer from Hibernian after earning his first Scotland caps in the end of season trip to Peru and Mexico.

While McGeouch impressed in pre-season for Sunderland, including in a 6-0 win at St Mirren, an injury sustained just as the campaign was about to kick-off has restricted him to just three League One substitute appearances so far.

“I’m disappointed [to not make the Scotland squad],” said McGeouch.

“Everyone wants to be picked [especially] considering I’ve had a wee taste of it and want to keep going.

“I obviously accept the decision and I can understand it a wee bit having a little niggle and not being playing week in, week out. I think, for me, it’s just about concentrating on Sunderland and getting back to playing. Pre-season was good [but then] I picked up the wee niggle and hopefully I can put that behind me and get games week in, week out.”

Sunderland, now managed by former St Mirren boss Jack Ross, who signed McGeouch, are unbeaten in League One this season, positioned fourth in the table two points off top spot as they look to achieve promotion at the first attempt following two successive relegations.

Former Celtic player McGeouch hopes he can perform well enough in that quest that McLeish will be enticed to come and see him in action at the Stadium of Light and reinstate him in the Scotland squad.

“I’d like to think so,” said McGeouch.

“Obviously he’s done it with Charlie Mulgrew last year playing in League One [at Blackburn Rovers] and doing well. I don’t think it makes you any less of a player. We think we’re a big club and look to try and get promoted this year.

“But the way we’re playing, hopefully I can get myself back in the team, playing week in, week out and hopefully catch his eye like I did last year and you never know.

“It’s a massive club, you see the stadium and it’s a great place to come and play. I’m just concentrating on playing well for Sunderland, week in, week out, and if that opportunity comes up again, I’d love it.”

One man who has made McLeish’s squad for the friendly against Belgium on Friday and UEFA Nations League match against Albania on Monday is McGeouch’s former Hibernian team-mate John McGinn.

That McGinn has earned rave reviews since his £2.75m move, plus add ons, to Aston Villa from Easter Road last month comes as no surprise to McGeouch.

“No, not at all,” Sunderland’s No.8 said. “I’ve played with John for a few years now, me and him beside each other. I know he’s a top player and he can handle any situation he’s put in. Aston Villa’s a great move for him, a great club and he’s relishing it. I think the fans are loving him as well, so long may it continue, and I expected it to be honest.”

Asked whether he thought boyhood Celtic fan McGinn, who was wanted by Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead, would have chosen them over Aston Villa, McGeouch replied: “I couldn’t make his mind up for him, it was his choice.

“I think whatever he chose he would do well. He’s a top player and I think everyone knows that. Wherever he ended up I knew he’d be a good player for that club.”

McGeouch, who also had a short loan spell at Coventry City while at Celtic earlier in his career, is reluctant to directly compare the standard of League One compared to the Ladbrokes Premiership, where he helped guide Hibernian to a Europa League spot last season.

His involvement from the bench in English league football has involved come-from-behind wins away against Gillingham and Wimbledon, and a 1-1 home draw versus Oxford United on Saturday in which Sunderland earned a second-half equaliser despite playing more than 70 minutes with 10 men.

Such resilience will be imperative in a league McGeouch notes is not one for the feint-hearted. A meeting against Fleetwood Town this Saturday, managed of course by the feisty former Rangers midfielder Joey Barton, is unlikely to prove any different.

“It’s different, different leagues, different challenges,” McGeouch says of Scottish top flight and English League One comparisons.

“We’ve adapted well. A lot of teams are playing more direct against us and being more physical, which we have to deal with, and the two games in London I thought we dealt with really well, coming back from a goal down to get the wins. It showed a lot of character in the team. Hopefully we can keep winning games.”