IT was only a couple of seasons ago that people were giving Blackburn Rovers stick for what they saw as a big money gamble on Jordan Rhodes.

At that time Jordan hadn’t been tested in the Championship but here he stands, for a third season running, about to score 20 goals, so there’s no doubt in my mind it’s been money well spent.

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His form has not been good all the time this season but I worry when he’s not playing on a regular basis.

It’s the first time in his Blackburn career that he has been pushed out of the starting line-up and that must have been hard to take as he’s got belief himself that he will do the business every time he steps on the pitch.

And you can see he’s been frustrated by the way he’s celebrated some of his goals recently.

But the best way to prove you should be back in the team is score and it’s clear he’s definitely got his appetite back on that front.

Last week against Bolton was typical Jordan. I always back him to get two or three chances a game and while he may not take the first ones, he’ll more often than not take the next one. He’s just a great goalscorer.

I was pleased to see him brought back into the Scotland squad by Gordon Strachan.

If Jordan can get a chance in the two games Scotland have this month it will strengthen his reputation.

The international stage is the biggest stage of all, the place where everyone is looking at you.

And if he can score goals for Scotland, as well as keep on doing well for Blackburn, then, at the age of 25, he must be looking to go to the next level and the Premier League.

Ideally that will be with Rovers but, despite our upturn in form, we have a mountain to climb to reach the play-offs.