WE DESERVE EURO PRAISE
Skipper backing call ahead of third round
Motherwell skipper Declan Gallagher reckons Scottish clubs don’t get the credit they deserve for progressing in Europe as they gear up to face Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
The Steelmen secured their place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League with a win over Northern Irish Premiership side Coleraine.
They weren’t the only team to secure a big tie, with this weekend’s Premiership opponents Rangers seeing off the Lincoln Red Imps in Gibraltar and Aberdeen beat Viking FK in
Norway.
Celtic also join in the third qualifying round, but Gallagher reckons the achievements of Scottish clubs are always played down.
The defender reckons The Steelmen deserve more plaudits for making it through against Oran Kearney’s side in a penalty shoot-out last week.
He said: “You look at it, it’s the Europa League and it’s the best of countries from all over Europe but people turn round and say ‘it’s a part-time team, they should be beating them.
“It’s nothing to do with ‘Motherwell done well, it’s Motherwell got through on a poor pitch with bad decisions’ or ‘Motherwell were rubbish’.
“It’s always negative. It’s never Motherwell did well, they’ve now got a big tie against a good team in Be’er Sheva.
“You never see that down in England, you never see them being negative about their teams. It’s always, ‘they are the best’ and that breeds confidence for English teams.
“Before every game, every team in Scotland is written off and there’s no backing for Scottish teams to do well.
“I think if we get that belief and we get the backing of every fan in Scotland then Scottish clubs will progress, they will get better.”
Scotland cap Gallagher admits it will be the proudest moment of his career to lead out ‘Well in Israel as they look to pull off a shock win.
He added: “The fact it’s onelegged ties, it’s like a cup final and anything could really happen.
“It’s one of the better draws that we could have asked for, but it’s still three good teams, including Be’er Sheva, so it’s going to be a hard ask but at the end of the day you can always dream.
“It’s definitely a career high, having never played in Europe before, and it’s a career high for a lot of boys in there. It’s great for us and the further we progress the better it is for the club.”