Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JOSH: WE SCOT THE BEST OF A TOP TEAM
BY SCOTT BURNS JOSH MAGENNIS sees no reason why Scotland can’t copy Northern Ireland and become one of the shock troops at
Euro 2024.
The big striker was part of the NI squad who qualified for the 2016
European Championships. Northern Ireland not only got back to the big time but also made it all the way to the knockout stages, where they eventually lost to Wales. Magennis believes there is more than enough quality in Steve Clarke’s squad to see Scotland make their own history this summer and progress out of the groups for the first time.
The Northern Ireland star predicted: “They will go to the tournament and do extremely well. Scotland are a hard team to break down and they are very compact.
“They have a wealth of experienced players who have played in big tournaments and won big trophies. I don’t think it will be anything but a solid tournament from Scotland.
“Tournament football is like knockout football, where anything can happen.
“The games are tough, there is a quick turnaround and they will go to Germany and give a good account of themselves and Scottish football.”
Scotland go into a Euro
2024 group with Germany, Switzerland and Hungary. Magennis knows from experience that it is about turning those little things into big wins.
“We got to the knockout stages where unfortunately we lost to Wales,” the frontman recalled.
“As long as you are hard to beat and can stay in the game then you can turn the little things, like set pieces and throw-ins, into big things.
“Then the percentages can swing your way. Certainly, since Steve Clarke has come in he has been brilliant and what the country has been needing.
“He got them to a major tournament and has got them to another one.
They have not fluked it and they will do well.”
Scotland boss Clarke has to find a way to get his team back to winning ways before then. Northern Ireland’s surprise Hampden friendly win, courtesy of a Connor Bradley, drained some of the Euro 2024 qualification joy away, as some of the Tartan Army booed their team at the final whistle.
Magennis stated: “It is a two-edged sword. When you win and qualify the expectation is there.
“We have experienced it with Northern Ireland.
“You are expected to win and when that doesn’t happen then sometimes the landscape can change.
“There is no doubting that Scotland are a massively talented team.
“Playing at Hampden, in front of a big crowd in one of their final matches before they go to the Euros we knew we had to try to frustrate Scotland.
“We managed to do that and get our goal from it.
“It was 100 per cent a good win.”