GORDON WANTS TO KEEP PLAYING
CRAIG GORDON wants to become Scotland's oldest ever international when the Nations League Group A games come around — after once again turning back the clock to help grab that top table spot.
The 39-year-old goalkeeper threw up the shutters in Krakow to deny Ukraine with a string of superb saves, the pick of the bunch a full length one handed save to stop Mykhaylo Mudryk shortly after the break.
It was just the latest show-stopping performance from the Hearts skipper, who's enjoying a fairytale twilight period of his stellar career.
Back-to-back clean sheets against the Ukrainians and a key save to deny Troy Parrott in Saturday's 2-1 win over Ireland meant Gordon contributed as much as anyone over the last week to secure promotion.
He'll be 41 when Scotland take their place among Europe's big guns in the next Nations League campaign in 2024.
That's a year older than when David Weir became the most senior Scot against Spain in 2010 aged 40 years and 155 days.
But it's not stopping Gordon targeting being number one at an age when many of his contemporaries will be watching the games with their pipe and slippers.
He said: “That's what I've said to the boys, that I'll be trying my best. Who knows? It's a while away yet. Let's see what happens. I'll give it a go.
Fantastic
“Just to be part of this group is fantastic. A great bunch of boys to come away with. You can see how much they're fighting for each other, every single game.
“We want to try and get to major tournaments. We've had a taste of one and we want to give ourselves the best chance again.”
Fight perfectly summed up the Scots' display in the goalless draw against Oleksandr
Petrakov's side which secured top spot.
The contrast to the style of performance which swept the same nation away at Hampden just six days earlier was stark – but it was every bit as impressive.
Debutant Ryan Porteous embodied the spirit of the camp with a standout show at centre-half.
And cross-city rivalries went out the window as Gordon lavished praise on the Hibs man.
He said: “Ryan was brilliant. What a debut. Really composed on the ball, threw his body when he had to, he made some good blocks even when they were ultimately offside at times.”