2021 was sweet ... but I want to have cake AND eat it
Birthday boy Craig has more lofty goals for the year ahead
CRAIG GORDON brings the curtain down on 2021 today by celebrating a birthday and raising a toast to future success for club and country.
As the Scotland and Hearts No.1 turns 39, he’s already set New Year resolutions which include a World Cup appearance in Qatar next year and for the improved fortunes in Gorgie to gather speed.
Already the most capped player in 147 years of Jambos history, Gordon’s journey back from being Celtic back-up keeper to reclaiming the dark blue jersey from David Marshall and helping the Tynecastle club back to the Premiership represents a fairytale 12 months.
Any review of the year that was for Gordon, which included unused substitute appearances at the European Championships, is a story of a career resurrection which is on borrowed time.
He said: “There have been some obvious highlights for me this year. Here at Hearts, getting promoted at the first attempt was really important for the club, just to get back into the Premiership.
“I played a big part in that and really enjoyed it. That was in front of no fans, we had to get the job done, and it does make it difficult.
“Beyond that I’ve really enjoyed the national team games and getting back into that starting line-up. We’ve gone on a great run, a really good campaign with the amount of points we have.
“To be back playing at that level, at this age, is really exciting for me. I know that there might not be many more opportunities for me, so to still be at that level and be playing with guys who are so much younger than me, being part of a successful team, it’s great for me.
“Hopefully we can keep that going in 2022. Because there have been lots of highlights along the way in 2021. Even getting to the Euros, even though I didn’t play, to be part of that squad, it does feel like a squad effort when we’re away with Scotland. Everybody plays their part.
“So I was delighted to be part of that squad for the Euros and the play in those World Cup qualifiers.”
A World Cup semi-final play-off against Ukraine beckons on March 24 which will hopefully line up a final against either Wales or Austria.
The size of the task isn’t lost on Gordon who believes it’s a challenge to be relished and just one of many for next year. He said: “I’ve got a lot to look forward to in 2022. And a lot of difficult games. We’ll need to play really well – both here at Hearts and with the national team.
“With Scotland, we’ll be up against two other teams, hopefully, who have done well to qualify for the play-offs as well.
‘It’s going to be really difficult, a real challenge, but it honestly couldn’t get any more exciting than that. Hopefully we can win the necessary games to achieve on both fronts.”
Scotland’s recent heroics at the national stadium have combined full houses and drama-filled exploits from Stevie Clarke’s side and Gordon believes there’s still time for fans to get the green light to return to stadiums before the Ukrainians come to town.
He said: “We have still got a few months to go, so hopefully
we can get through this, everybody stays safe and we reach the other side of this as quickly as we possibly can.
“Then we can look forward to playing in front of fans again because nobody looks forward to playing in empty grounds.
“We need to get them back in as soon as possible – if it’s safe. We don’t want to be doing anything that causes extra harm.
“I think people have realised what they’ve been missing out on, the whole occasion that a football match can bring.
“When people started missing out on that, when they couldn’t go to games, they realised how important it was to them.
‘So it has added to the atmospheres, since fans have come back. They’ve made a noise and really enjoyed the games, whether that’s with Hearts or
Scotland. And we love having them back.”
Gordon will make the most of the rare novelty of being able to make the most of a birthday during the winter break and he’s already planning to reboot and hope for a repeat of similar success to the 12 months past.
He said: “It’s been some year for me. A good year.
“‘I have time to celebrate my birthday now, 39 coming up – and then see if I can replicate it this year! “I actually get to celebrate my birthday this year, which makes a change. It’s not often in my football career that it’s happened. “Although we’re actually in training that day, so I’m not looking forward to that. The manager’s got us in. We’ll keep ticking over, have a few days off in the break, recharge and hopefully come back ready. “We’ve been on this good run, we feel in a good place as a squad. And I’m sure the manager will be looking to add more players, continue our progression. “We’re looking to kick on in the second half of the season and get as many points on the board.”