‘When you get knocked down you get back up’
THE criticism that was aimed in his direction as performances were found wanting and defeats were suffered may have stung as he attempted to rebuild the Scotland team.
But at no stage during the turbulent start to his second spell as national manager did Alex McLeish ever contemplate giving up.
Not when experienced internationalists retired or asked not to be considered for selection. Not when his team slumped to their heaviest home defeat in 45 years to Belgium. Not when they were booed off the park in Israel. Not when pundits questioned his suitability for the role.
The build-up to the final Nations League double header against Albania and Israel was billed by many as being make-or-break for McLeish despite the fact he had been in charge for only nine months and had overseen just two competitive games.
If his team had failed to top Group C1 there would have been a clamour for him to be replaced.
Even after a 4-0 win in Shkoder on Saturday night, rumours abounded that he would stand down after the Israel game at Hampden on Tuesday evening irrespective of the outcome. But it all simply spurred him on to prove the doubters wrong.
“Football is really fickle nowadays, isn’t it?” he said yesterday in the aftermath of a thrilling 3-2 win that had ensured his side topped their section and secured a Euro 2020 play-off spot.
“You are judged early doors. Two or three results and it is a crisis. I just needed a bit of slack.
“After the last game I didn’t feel very good for 24 hours. But as soon as I got back in the next day I was hard at it again. I want to prove everybody wrong who was doubting me. That was the key and it has always been the key. Whenever you get knocked down you have to get back up. I have done that loads in my career.
“I am determined. I have got a contract. I am not going to walk out after four or five games because people are shouting at me or moaning at me and there is a little bit of negativity on social media. That doesn’t make me want to quit.
“I am only just getting started. The qualification games are the ones that mattered. If it didn’t go well on Tuesday night it would obviously be a bit of a different interview today. But I would still be telling you I have only just started.”
It had been suggested, including by his former Scotland team-mate Davie Provan, that McLeish was, at 59, some way past his peak as a manager. But, again, he used it as motivation.
“I feed off that,” he said. “It makes me more determined. I’m more experienced than I was when Davie thinks I had my best years. I’m still passionate. I take inspiration from the Roy Hodgsons of this world. And, as I say, I am only getting started.”
A much-needed switch from a 3-5-2 to a 4-3-3 formation in the last two games has transformed his reign. The change has allowed him to field in-form wingers James Forrest and Ryan Fraser in their favoured positions. Both were exceptional in the wins over Albania and Israel and have years at the highest level