We want to be the men who end 22 years of agony
SAYS RYAN CHRISTIE
PATRIOT games have been part of Ryan Christie’s life for as long as he can remember. Growing up in Inverness, family parties convened to watch Scotland matches as the television provided an education in the bittersweet emotions that cling to the national team.
He is too young to recall the Highland shindig that accompanied qualification for France 1998. Christie was just three years old when Scotland last appeared at a major finals, but has been online to marvel at how Craig Brown’s squad donned kilts ahead of facing Brazil in the opening match in Paris.
The responsibility of ending a 22-year wait for comparable footage now rests on the shoulders of the players within Steve Clarke’s squad. And it is a burden Christie eagerly embraces.
Dismissing the idea that today’s meeting with Cyprus in Nicosia is the first of a meaningless double-header, the Celtic midfielder sees an opportunity to build momentum and cement selection for the decisive Euro 2020 play-offs in March.
Christie is no stranger to success at club level. He insists, however, that getting over the line next spring — securing two group games at Hampden — would bring joy on a different scale.
‘The play-offs will come around very quickly and people will recognise what a massive opportunity it is,’ said Christie.
‘The players know that already — that’s why we want to do well in these games to prepare for it.
‘When they come round, it’ll be very exciting. There will be a real buzz about them.
‘It probably feels more real now. To go through that way, we’ll need to play well, but we’re confident and we know we can do it.
‘We’re all desperate to be the team that makes history and makes it to a major tournament.
‘I’m not dreaming of the Euros yet. But when the play-offs come round, that’ll be a major driving force.
‘When you win big tournaments at club level, you get that feeling of pride. But it’ll be 100 times more if we can do it with our country.’
Son of footballing father Charlie, his birthplace meant 24-year-old Christie was mainly an armchair member of the Tartan Army prior to his own career taking off.
‘I didn’t come down to too many games because of the three-and-ahalf-hour journey,’ he admitted.
‘But, at every international break, it would always be my family hosting a party for the games. Everyone would come round.
‘Sadly I’m too young to remember the really good ones. But that just adds to the feeling of how desperate I am to get us to a big tournament.
‘I remember the night James McFadden scored in France. I also remember the Italy game (when Scotland’s Euro 2008 hopes ended), which wasn’t quite so good.
‘I was really young at the time and I didn’t quite understand it fully. But you could feel the air of sadness in the room.
‘I have been around it long enough to know how the Scotland fans have felt. So I know what it would mean for them to qualify.
‘I’ve seen all the footage from France ’98, with the game against Brazil and all the players wearing kilts. I actually watched a YouTube documentary about it recently and it was really interesting.
‘To be there next summer would be an incredible experience. To qualify and then play a match on home soil at Hampden would be unbelievable.
‘But that all starts with getting momentum in these two games and then being ready for the play-offs.’
Around 3,000 Tartan Army members have made the trip to Cyprus, with more than a few sharing Christie’s Highland heritage.
‘I have noticed before that there are a lot of people from up north following Scotland,’ he smiled. ‘It became a talking point at Celtic last year when we were arguing about wearing kilts to weddings.
‘I was saying 100 per cent and some of the other boys were disagreeing.
‘I couldn’t believe it but I don’t think they’d be happy if I said I was more Scottish than them!
‘I can’t speak for the lowland boys but there are a lot of patriotic people in the Highlands.
‘I have a few friends who are in the Tartan Army, although I don’t think they’ve made it to Cyprus.
‘There are always a few coming to the Hampden games and they love it. That’s just another boost for you as you want to make them proud.’ A home meeting with Kazakhstan on Tuesday night will round off a largely miserable Group I of the regular Euro 2020 qualifiers. For both forthcoming assignments, Christie sees an obvious source of motivation.
‘If we do well in these games and manage to win both of them, we’ll be in pole position to keep the shirts for the play-offs,’ he added.
‘That’s exactly it. Everyone who plays against Cyprus and Kazakhstan are desperate to impress the manager and keep their place going into two massive games in March.
‘A lot of people are saying these games are meaningless but, for us as players, it’s the polar opposite.
‘We’re fighting for our place to play in these big games coming up.
‘Even though there have been a few pull-outs at every camp, we’ve managed to keep a good core of players.
‘We have to find a level of performance for 90 minutes, which we know we’re capable of doing. If we can achieve that, we’ll be a very good side.’