JUST THE TICKET
My squad will prove its quality, insists Mackay
MALKY MACKAY has hit back at Kris Boyd after the Kilmarnock striker branded his first Scotland squad a ‘laughing stock’ picked with the sole purpose of selling tickets.
The Scotland interim boss argued that his players deserved a greater show of respect after Boyd had insisted a number did not merit inclusion in the international set-up and were being given ‘caps for nothing’.
Aberdeen pair Kenny McLean and Ryan christie will make their Scotland debuts in tonight’s Pittodrie friendly against Holland, with Dons skipper Graeme Shinnie on the bench.
The SFA have sold 15,500 tickets for the clash and Mackay insists local fans will see a new-look Scots side picked solely on merit.
Pressed on whether he had come under any pressure from SFA to pick certain players, Mackay said: ‘Trust me, that’s not something that was an issue.
‘Honestly, there’s no way that was the case. Look at the squad. It is players who are playing at a good
level. Absolutely not. Ten days ago when you all sat with me and we announced the squad, most of what came back to me was that it was a fresh squad. ‘People were upbeat about it and the fact there were players in it playing at a good level being given a chance. ‘So, there’s always going to be somebody who’s going to want to make the opposite opinion. ‘Like everything, what I’d say is when we’re talking about the Aberdeen players and selling tickets, two or three are going to start the game. ‘Anyone who knows me is aware I’m never going to put a team out on the pitch to sell tickets. ‘So, the actual players going out there are desperate to play, they desperately want to play for their country and they desperately want to win the game.’ Boyd also criticised the inclusion of Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack, claiming the former Aberdeen skipper has racked up more red cards than strong performances since moving to Glasgow in the summer. But Mackay (right), who will be without Scott Brown through injury, responded: ‘They are all playing at a good level, they are all professional footballers, they deserve that respect. ‘They are playing at the top of Scottish football for their clubs on a regular basis. ‘They deserve that respect. Players get criticised every week — media, social media, whatever it may be. ‘If someone says something there’s always someone else wanting to go the opposite way. It’s part of the whole thing. The person they concentrate on is their club manager, then themselves, their family and currently in this case me and my staff. ‘The players who trained this week have been terrific, with some guys coming back to their home city. How good is that?’ Asked if those singled out could be affected by adverse comments, Mackay insisted: ‘Absolutely not, I don’t see them being affected. It’s water off a duck’s back. ‘I’ve not felt the need to speak to them. It’s part of the whole thing. ‘When they are playing against Holland they are going to make sure they’re giving the best they can to themselves. ‘There will be a good atmosphere here, a good crowd, and really what I’m trying to frame with the guys is that it’s a start of, not friendlies, but the start of four games before next September for the Euro 2020s. ‘It’s a chance for them to stake their claim, grab the jersey and go on and win 50 caps. I think that’s a fairly easy sell as far as the players are concerned. There is a possible future for them as a Scotland player going into a new campaign.’