We were so close back in 2007. This time we need to get over the line...
GORDON KNOWS SCOTS MISSED A TRICK BEFORE AND MUST CASH IN NOW
AS a truly extraordinary tempest makes landfall on the south side of Glasgow this afternoon, even Scotland’s most experienced campaigners may find themselves struck by the uncommon nature of this perfect storm. Days like this do not come around very often.
Craig Gordon, weeks short of his 39th birthday and about to join Ally McCoist and Richard Gough on the all-time appearances list, talks with boyish enthusiasm about the rare nature of today’s World Cup qualifier against Israel.
In an international career stretching all the way back to May of 2004, the Hearts goalkeeper can really only think of one comparable occasion.
A Hampden sell-out for an all-or-nothing fixture at what Gordon calls ‘the business end’ of a qualifying section?
The last time Scotland’s stars aligned in this manner was in November 2007, when Italy came to town — and denied an overachieving home side the perfect finale to a remarkable campaign.
Boasting a sharp new haircut courtesy of Billy Gilmour’s barber, Gordon — who insisted that letting the Chelsea wunderkind organise a visiting stylist for the squad wasn’t some off-the-wall trust exercise — has fond memories of that attempt to get out of a ridiculous qualification group.
The French were famously beaten home and away, Ukraine were turned over 3-1 at Hampden… and if felt like anything was possible. Until Italy beat us 2-1 at the very death.
‘Yeah, we were close that year, the final game of that campaign,’ said Gordon. ‘Going into that, we still had the opportunity to qualify.
‘This is similar, even though we’ve got a few games still to go. It does feel like a pivotal moment in the group, so we have to focus on getting the result.
‘That Italy game did feel like a missed opportunity. Given the quality of opponents we had in that group, we probably didn’t expect to get as far as we did.
‘But we got some great results. Unfortunately we also chucked in a few disappointing ones. It lead to that must-win game against Italy right at the very end.
‘There was definitely a disappointment from that group that still remains, because we could have done something very special with that group of players. Unfortunately we weren’t able to do that.
‘I remember the France game, especially. When the place is full and they’re right behind us, it feels like a special place to play football.
‘We’ve not had that opportunity on that many occasions, a big game, a full house, so we really want to go for it.
‘My favourite Hampden games were probably France and Ukraine, the two biggest results we got. There would be many more if I sat and thought about it for longer.
‘But those two, in that group where we got so many results, stand out. We beat France twice, beat Ukraine at home as well.
‘I remember James McFadden scored a great goal against Ukraine, Lee McCulloch got one from a set-piece that was something we worked on, it all came together.
‘It was a great atmosphere that day, a huge result that put is in a great position.
‘We didn’t take that opportunity (against Italy). But we have that chance again, all these years later — at the business end of a group and in with a great chance.’
Victory over the most familiar of foes under the floodlights at the national stadium would put Scotland in a commanding position to finish as runners-up in Group F.
With bright young talents like Gilmour and Nathan Patterson — both in their second year of primary school, at best, when Gordon was facing down the Italians at Hampden — bringing a freshness to the squad, even the wise old heads are liable to get swept up in a new wave of excitement.
Gordon, eager to follow the lead of so many great veteran keepers by becoming one of the most mature players at next winter’s World Cup in Qatar, revealed something about the chemistry at play in a squad boasting footballers at opposite ends of their careers.
‘Billy usually organises the haircuts for everybody,’ explained
That Italy game certainly did feel like a missed opportunity
Gordon, running his fingers through his own mop as he added: ‘I join in with them and I get my hair cut whenever he can get a barber out.
‘Everybody helps each other out and we are a really close-knit group of players.
‘I mean, I am old enough to be his dad. But that is sometimes what happens in football when you get the more experienced players with the younger ones coming through into the squad — and making us better.’
It sounds like something a sports psychologist would dream up, doesn’t it? Let the kid organise haircuts for everyone. If they trust him to do that, they’ll have no doubts about giving him the ball…
Gordon laughed at the idea, saying: ‘No, he’s done pretty well organising it all. He can keep the job!’
Turning his attention to what the 20-year-old brings to the team, the keeper added: ‘He has the ability to run games and be so dominant.
‘To have that control of a game is fantastic. He has everything a modern midfielder needs and is fantastic.
‘He is playing so well for us and is such a big part of our team after just a few caps.
‘Hopefully he has a very long and successful Scotland career ahead of him. He is one of the most important players. If we can keep him fit and playing then over the next few years I am sure he can help to bring success.’
Gordon wants to be part of whatever happens next, that much is certain. Having regained the No1 jersey, he’s in no mood to let go.
Told that winning a 61st cap puts him alongside McCoist and Gough, he said: ‘I wasn’t aware of that — but it’s not a bad place to be, alongside those guys.
‘It’s great to be at the age I am, still managing to play for Scotland. I hope I can do it for a few more years yet.
‘It’s great to be right up there with players like that. But it would mean so much more to me if we could qualify for a World Cup.
‘I’ll be 39 in a couple of months and nearly 40 by the time the World Cup comes around.
‘I would love to be one of the oldest players in that tournament, having been one of the oldest in any squad — top three, I think — at the Euros.
‘That’s fine by me. I don’t mind. I’ll take that, as long as we can be involved.’
A quirk of timing means that, even by reaching next winter’s tournament in the desert, Gordon can’t quite match the OAP-like status of men like Dino Zoff, Peter Shilton or Pat Jennings, all into their fifth decade when they made their final appearances in a World Cup finals. But who’s counting?
Today’s match is of such all-consuming importance that thoughts of individual achievements, of honours and distinctions hard won through years of sacrifice, are swatted away as virtually meaningless by a goalkeeper in scintillating form.
‘I’m fully focused just on this game, getting the result,’ he said. ‘It’s about everybody coming together, not individual records.’
It’s that kind of occasion, all right. An exceptional convergence of team and circumstance, the lifting of crowd restrictions and the elevation of national hopes.
A perfect storm, then? Oh, yes. So batten down the hatches. Prepare for enormous waves of emotion. And appreciate the rarity of it all.