Despite Lyndon Dykes telling him that his heart was with Australia, Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has no hard feelings, saying young players don't need that kind of international pressure.
Dykes was at the heart of an international and club tug of war that lasted months, with both clubs and countries vying for his allegiance after a stellar season.
He's only just had his breakout goalscoring season after some topsy-turvy SPL campaigns, yet it seemed every day there were new rumours linking Dykes to just about every Championship club alongside the two major Scottish giants.
Then the Australian-Scotland dispute began, with Australia's recent history of nabbing Scottish talent for the national team brought into focus in the Scottish media.
While Dykes is a larger than life figure who has already earned attention for his colourful off-field and on-field persona, it presented a considerable strain for the young up and comer.
It all seems to have come to an end, with Scotland coach Steve Clarke pipping the Socceroos due to COVID19's delay to Australian World Cup friendlies and calling up the QPR striker.
But, of course, until Dykes steps onto that pitch for the Tartan Terriers, conversations will continue to bubble away.
“I’ve never held a grudge against anyone in my life and I never would but we’ve got to wait and see,” Arnold told News Corp Australia.
“If he doesn’t play a minute in these next two games, then he’s still available to play for Australia.
“I just hope that (Scotland coach) Steve Clarke hasn’t bowed to media pressure of just capping him, and then moving on. I spoke to Lyndon about that.
“The kid should be very proud that he’s got two nations that want him to play for them in Scotland and Australia,” the Socceroos mentor said.
“It was always a conversation of supporting whatever decision he made.
“Unfortunately he’s chosen Scotland, he’s been picked for Scotland and that’s the way it is.”
Arnold acknowledged the human at the centre of the commotion, speaking of the support young footballers require in the modern age.
“He agreed to be in our squad for March for the (World Cup qualifying) games against Kuwait and Nepal but those games got postponed. He told me that his heart was in it to play for Australia,” Arnold said.
“If not for the coronavirus, he would have been capped for Australia and part of our journey.
It (COVID-19) has given him time to change his decision.
“He would have given us something completely different to what we have in (Jamie) Maclaren, (Apostolos) Giannou, (Adam) Taggart and Mitchell Duke.
“He’s a great kid and he brings a lot of energy to the team. He’s got height, he’s got power but I was never going to put pressure on him.
“The kids don’t need pressure these days, they need support.”
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