Mistake was down to Alan ..I went on to win 50 caps
WILLIE MILLER still reckons Alan Hansen should carry the can for making a USSRs of it against the Russians.
But the Aberdeen legend believes Jock Stein’s decision to play the pair of them meant the partnership was destined to go down in flames.
It’s the most famous collision in Scottish football history. Two greats of our game bumping into each other to sell a goal in the 2-2 draw with the Soviet Union which put paid to our hopes of getting out of the group at Spain 82.
But Miller said: “I thought it was my ball. Me and Alan – it was like pouring petrol on fire. It was never a combination that was likely to work.
“He was too similar to me. If he’d been a centre-back, I probably wouldn’t have got involved in that challenge but when I played with Alan I had to change my game to be more aggressive and more of the No.1 centre-back.
“We were both sweepers. My recollection of that game is that I was doing most of the physical challenges.
“I’ve always said I thought Roughy could have done a bit more to stop the ball hitting the back of the net but you’ve got to take responsibility for your own actions.
“Overall on the day, although different, my game was good. I was playing with a player who played so differently to Alex McLeish, who I was used to.”
Stein had an embarrassment of riches to pick from at the back in Spain, with Hansen, Miller and club pal Alex McLeish plus Aston Villa hero Allan Evans and Dundee United’s David Narey.
Miller was stung at sitting out the first game against New Zealand and he reckons the two cheap goals Scotland conceded in that 5-2 win came back to haunt us as we went out on goal difference.
He said: “Allan Evans was brought in. It didn’t please me too much. New Zealand were the minnows and losing the two goals to them obviously had an impact on us not qualifying.
“But if you go back to me and Hansen, it was Hansen who lost his international place and I went on to earn another 50 caps.”
He was probably too similar to me in that position
WILLIE MILLER ON HANSEN