Shaun would
Shaun Maloney insists he will have no split loyalties tomorrow night as he heads for the visiting dugout at Hampden.
Capped 47 times for Scotland, Maloney has firmly settled into life in the Belgium backroom staff, alongside Thierry Henry and Roberto Martinez, as he continues his coaching career.
But the 36-year-old will not be tempted to join in the Hampden chorus of Flower Of Scotland as the teams line up for the pre-game national anthems.
“I’ll just stay quiet and respectful,” he said. “I am working for Belgium, so I think you have to respect both.
“I especially have to remember that I am back in Glasgow to work and to do a job.
“As a player, I always loved the Scottish national anthem and lining up for it – I still do.
“But at this stage of my professional life, it is about staying focused and appreciating that I am being paid for a certain job.”
Maloney’s ideal scenario is that Scotland finish behind Belgium in Group I and make it to the 2020 European Championships.
It is not a feat, however, he wants Steve Clarke’s side to achieve by taking any points off of Belgium along the way.
“It isn’t something that I can afford to think about too much just now,” said Maloney.
“We are in the middle of a campaign, and the remit is for Belgium to qualify and to top the group.
“Of course, I would love to see Scotland get to a major tournament.
“I spent a lot of my time trying to achieve that very aim as a player, so I will never lose the appetite of wanting to see that come to fruition.
“But, for me, I need to stay focused on what my own role is within Belgium.”
Working alongside talent of considerable renown such as Eden Hazard (who will be absent tomorrow night due to injury) and Romelu Lukaku, Maloney has nevertheless insisted that part of the reason for the success the Belgians have enjoyed has come down to the lack of ego within the team.
That may not bode well for Scotland. “The job has been amazing,” said Maloney.
“People always ask me about the players, but my honest answer is that they are all very humble.
“They work hard. They are worldclass talents, but they are a really hardworking group.
“They have an amazing level of skill, but they are demanding of themselves and of each other in training.
“It has been such a positive experience for me to come here and work with them.
“They have a tremendous attitude and will to win. They want to learn, and they want to get better.
“As a coach, that is great to work with.” Maloney and Clarke crossed paths briefly during their careers south of the border.
The Belgium coach is firmly behind the Clarke appointment as Scotland manager.
It’s just that any goodwill has to wait until after tomorrow night!
“I don’t know a huge amount about Steve Clarke, but what he done at Kilmarnock was impressive,” said Maloney.
“So although I don’t know him particularly well, I have always been impressed with what he has done.
“I thought he was a great appointment, and I think he has all the attributes to go on to be a fantastic Scotland manager.”