BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer believes top-scorer Jordan Rhodes’ recall to the Scotland squad is richly deserved.

But Bowyer admits he will be on tenterhooks the whole time Rhodes is away after picking up injuries while away with the Tartan Army in the past.

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Scotland manager Gordon Strachan brought the prolific striker back into the fold after he netted five goals in four games last month.

And Rhodes will join up with his international team-mates having continued his hot streak with a double strike in Saturday’s 2-0 home success over Ipswich Town.

It is only the second time in the last 23 months that Rhodes has won a call-up from Strachan.

He was a regular in the Scotland ranks until November 2013 went he went over on his ankle in training.

And Bowyer said: “It’s great for him to have been called up and it’s recognition of how well he’s been playing for us.

“What it does also mean is an uncomfortable couple of days for the staff while he’s away.

“But, in all seriousness, it’s recognition for how well he’s playing and it’s richly deserved.”

Two years ago Strachan questioned whether Rhodes had the attributes to operate as a lone striker in international football.

Since then the 25-year-old, who ended his 16-month Tartan Army exile in March, has continued to work to improve his all-round game.

And his outstanding performance on Saturday certainly impressed Ipswich boss, and former Republic of Ireland manager, Mick McCarthy.

McCarthy, who won 57 caps for his country before guiding them to the 2002 World Cup, said: “He (Rhodes) was outstanding.

“He messed us around, he nudged us, he bumped us, he blocked things.

“Don’t forget his goals, because his goals have won the game, but I think his all-round performance was outstanding.”

Rhodes, who was watched from the stands by Scotland coach Stuart McCall, was yesterday named in the Football League Team of the week for the second time this season as reward for his brace against his former club Ipswich.

Bowyer said: “He’s reaping the rewards for all the hard work he does.

“When you consider that he missed bits of the season and pre-season as well, now he’s really firing.

“It is not a shock, the amount of work that he does on the training ground on his finishing, it is outstanding.”

Bowyer must also do without captain Grant Hanley, Corry Evans, Adam Henley and Tom Lawrence this week.

But Shane Duffy has remained back at Brockhall after Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill cut him – and 12 other players – from his provisional 40-man squad.

Asked yesterday how far away Duffy, who marked international team-mate Daryl Murphy out of the game on Saturday, is from a permanent place in his squad, O’Neill said: “I saw Shane play recently and he was in our squad last year when we went to America (to play Costa Rica & Portugal) and he’s improving all the time.”