When Johnny Russell arrived at Sporting Kansas City, he left behind an opportunity to be a part of Derby County’s campaign to earn promotion to the English Premier League.
Derby ended up finishing sixth, losing to Fulham in their promotion playoff. Meanwhile Russell has become a hit among the SKC fanbase, revitalizing the team’s attack, leading Sporting to first place in the Western Conference – and earning himself a call-up to the Scottish national team.
Manager Alex McLeish named Russell to Scotland’s roster for their upcoming friendly at Mexico on June 2, an opportunity Russell credits to what’s been happening for him since he moved to KC.