BILLY STARK believes Jordan Rhodes can fire the goals to lead his young Scots to the promised land of the European Under 21 Championships in Israel in 2013.

The tartan kids, with Rhodes’ Huddersfield Town teammate Scott Arfield in the side, lost out in the play-offs to make this year’s finals in Denmark, which were won by Spain.

Rhodes, who will rejoin his Galpharm teammates tomorrow ahead of Saturday’s League I clash at Exeter, followed up his hat trick in Luxembourg on Friday with both goals in Monday’s come-from-behind draw against Austria in Paisley.

That put Scotland second in Qualifying Group 10 with five points from three games, one ahead of Austria but four behind leaders Holland.

It’s the Dutch next, away on Monday, November 14 and at home on Wednesday, February 29.

And Rhodes, who was born in Oldham but qualifies for Scotland through the five years’ schooling rule, looks sure to add to his five-cap tally.

“I would lying if I said I didn’t hope to have a better points return,” said Stark, the former St Mirren, Aberdeen and Celtic player and Morton, St Johnstone and Queen’s Park manager.

“But if you had said before the game that we would create so many chances then I would have bitten your hand off,”

“At international level, though, you need to take them and we failed to do that on occasions. We also had a few strong penalty claims which on another day may have been given.

“At least Jordan showed again that he can take chances and he had some great service against a good Austrian side.

“Now we go to Holland and we’ll need to defend better against them but it’s difficult to say how the latest result affects the group.

“It could be everyone cuts each other’s throat and 14 points is enough for top spot.”

England top Group 8 with three wins from three, the latest over Norway.