OWEN Coyle is confident Alex MacDonald will benefit from the international experience despite suffering a knee injury on his Scotland Under 19 debut.

The 18-year-old suffered the setback against Holland last Friday, but the Burnley manager said: “You’re looking for them to do well for their respective countries but to come back injury free.

“Alex played the first 10 minutes but tweaked his knee so has been receiving treatment ever since he came back.

“It’s a different injury to the knocks he’s picked up earlier this season but it’s not something we expect to be long term.

“The fact he’s been involved with the set-up and has international honours now is absolutely brilliant for him, after coming through the youth team last season and now playing Under 19 level for Scotland.

"It keeps him progressing.

“For anybody who has been involved on the international stage it helps with your development because you are playing against international players of that age group.

“Ultimately it will be up to Alex as to how he takes that on.

"We can impart the knowledge but he has to have the desire to take it on to the next level.

“He has been stop-start with niggly injuries so far but hopefully he’ll get over that soon.

“We only expect this one to be short-term, but he’s not fit just now.”