Scotland goalkeeper urging squad to seize elusive opportunity

David Marshall insists Scotland must seize their opportunity to end an agonising absence from major tournaments.

The Derby County goalkeeper has been involved in the national team squad long enough to appreciate that opportunities like Thursday’s Euro 2020 play- off final against Serbia do not come around very often.

Marshall made his Scotland debut in 2004 and has seen the country fail to reach either a World Cup or European Championships on a total of seven occasions since.

However, the 35-yearold is praying Scotland, who last played at major finals at the World Cup in 1998, clear the final hurdle this time.

He said :“I’ ve been involved in a lot of different Scotland set-ups and there have been a lot of really good players who’ve come and gone in that time.

“One thing it’s shown me is that chances to qualify for major competitions don’t come around often, which is why this is such an important time.

“I was just a kid when Scotland last qualified but I do remember sitting down for the first game against Brazil, and the boys coming out prematch in their kilts.

“I can remember Euro 96 too – that’s probably my first Scotland memory – and at that time you think it’s normal, the team being at big tournaments.

“Yo u can you can definitely feel the country willing us to do it again.

“We’re just desperate to qualify, and you’d hope that if we can do it, fans will be allowed back in again once the tournament rolls around.”

Scotland head to Serbia on the back of an eightgame unbeaten run, which includes a nailbiting semi-final shootout win over Israel, and Marshall insists the team are building momentum under manager Steve Clarke at the right time.

Speaking to Fifa.com, Marshall, who is set to land his 40 th cap in Belgrade, added: “The manager stayed calm and slowly built something that everyone can see taking shape now.

“These things take time to come together. We’ve had five or six games now as a back three and it was some thing the gaffer identified as being a good system against the threat of Israel in particular.

“But you need to get results for everyone else to see that, and that’s why it was so good to get those wins and clean sheets last month. It just shows everyone that we’re going in the right direction.”