Scotland Under 21 boss Scot Gemmill doesn’t want Ryan Porteous to lose the aggressiveness from his game.
Gemmill has included the defender in his squad for next month’s Under 21 Euro qualifiers against the Czech Republic and San Marino next month.
The Hibs centre back was involved in an off-the-ball clash with Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos at the weekend, and his offer of a post-match handshake was rebuffed by the Colombian striker and Gers captain James Tavernier.
Porteous was shown red against Rangers last season for a dangerous challenge on Borna Barisic during a defeat at Easter Road, and has previously suffered injury while making tackles before.
The 21-year-old’s uncompromising approach has made him a firm favourite with the Easter Road fans, and Gemmill doesn’t want him to curb his competitive spirit, but does think he needs to channel it properly.
"Ryan's proving he is a real competitor and his performances show that,” he said.
"Whether he is playing that for us or for his club, he is a really solid defender. But he's got real character and real presence.
"I think it's about the balance and he's very conscious of the need to really channel that aggression and the way he uses his physicality when he plays.
"At the same time we all want our players to have character and resilience, determination and ambition.
"So Ryan just needs to find that balance but I think we need to look to the positives for sure. We crave that in our top players.
"I don't think you can be a top player without having that edge. You have to take it personally. I speak to the players about this before every game. Your opponent is trying to beat you and embarrass you, so you have to take it personally.
"I love to see that (aggressive streak) in the team. You need to have it to be successful."
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