Hickey's bright Scotland future and Halkett's tough start
Both players are hoping to make their debuts this week
Scotland coach Steven Naismith spoke of Aaron Hickey's "amazing" development as the 19-year-old Bologna full-back looks to make his Scotland debut in the upcoming friendly double-header.
The former Hearts defender, who joined the Serie A side in September 2020, got his first senior call-up for Thursday's game against Poland at Hampden Park and away to either Wales or Austria next week.
Naismith, who played with Hickey for the Jambos before retiring to the coaching staff at the Tyencastle, praised the rise of the teenager.
"Amazing, Aaron is mature enough beyond his years and his move to Italy tells you that. He is happy to go and have that experience and wants to do well.
"I spoke to him a lot at the time when he was leaving Hearts because I know how hard it can be with so many different options and offers and so many different things that might happen.
"He had to make the right choice and I think he did, his career has progressed and progressed again. He is still very young and still got a lot to learn and develop as a player but he is a good footballer."
Although Scotland is well-served with left-backs including Robertson, Kieran Tierney and Greg Taylor, Naismith does not believe that will necessarily be a barrier to Hickey's international career.
Robertson is also unlikely to feature in Thursday's game with Poland due to COVID-19.
He said: "There is a lot of competition on the left but I wouldn't naturally have said Aaron is just a left-back, he can play in a number of positions which will help him.
"What you call his natural position is fully-loaded, there is loads of quality and loads of guys vying for positions so he just needs to work hard and knowing him, if he is picked in any position he will go and do himself proud and he will do his best.
"But he has to show the appetite, the attitude and potential on the training pitch to be consistently involved in the squad."
Craig Halkett is another man hoping to make his debut this week after his late first call-up.
However, Hearts team-mate Craig Gordon revealed how Halkett's introduction to life with national team began with a Kieran Tierney nutmeg in the daunting first training session.
Gordon, 39, who has 64 caps, was delighted to see his Gorgie buddy alongside him at the Scots' Edinburgh training base and was impressed by how the former Livingston centre-back recovered from an awkward early tussle with the Arsenal left-back.
The Jambos goalkeeper said: "It is very daunting, especially when KT rolled it though his legs after 30 seconds.
"That wasn't the introduction he was looking for but he has been excellent in training, I know he is enjoying it and I hope he gets the cap that his performances for Hearts deserve.
"I am very pleased for him. He has had a great season at Hearts, great to play alongside and is really developing as a top quality centre-back, delighted he has got a chance and he has done well in training in the first two days.
"It is definitely a step up coming up to international level and he has handled it well so far and I am sure he will continue to do that and he has done well in training to put himself in the manager's thoughts."