Scott Arfield: Scotland call-up would be 'pinnacle' of career

Scott Arfield joined Burnley in 2013

Burnley midfielder Scott Arfield harbours ambitions to force his way into the thoughts of Scotland manager Gordon Strachan.

The 26-year-old also qualifies to play for Canada through his father.

But he told BBC Scotland: "It would be the pinnacle of my career if I could pull on a Scotland jersey and be an international football player.

"That is something I'm striving to be and, if the manager ever sees fit to include me, I would be ecstatic."

Arfield has already represented Scotland at under-19 and under-20 levels as well as playing in a Scotland B side that defeated Northern Ireland 3-0 in 2009.

He was again absent from Strachan's squad ahead of their friendly against Qatar and the Euro 2016 qualifier against Republic of Ireland.

And the midfielder, who signed a three-year contract extension with Burnley last summer, says some of his family are now urging him towards thinking about playing for Canada.

"I've spoken to my dad, who was born in Toronto, and he would be more than happy for me to jump ship," said Arfield, who helped Burnley win promotion to England's Premier League last season but has experienced relegation this term.

Scott Arfield played 17 times for Scotland Under-21s

"I'm quite open-minded about it and I've not made my mind up whether it be Scotland or Canada.

"Once you've played club football for so long. you want to take the next step to see what it's all about."

Arfield was an interested onlooker as one of his former clubs, Falkirk, took on a Burnley development squad as preparation for next week's Scottish Cup final against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Having come through the Falkirk youth system, he was part of the Bairns side that lost to Rangers in the 2009 final and says that, despite the loss, he enjoyed the whole experience of the week.

"It was a week of fun with a game of football at the end of it and arguably we were the better side and we probably should have won the Cup, but it was a great goal by Nacho Novo to take the Cup to Rangers," added Arfield.

However, the Livingston-born midfielder who left Falkirk for Huddersfield Town in 2010 will not be at Hampden to cheer his team on as he had already booked a holiday to Spain.

"I'm flying out with my mates and my brother, but we will make sure we find a wee bar to watch the game and I wish them all the best," he added.