No summer holidays in 2020 vision for McGinn

Ending long wait to reach a major finals is the only focus

UNABLE to cope with Scotland being the only Home Nation to miss out on qualification for Euro 2016, John McGinn refused to watch the action unfold from France.

After hastily jetting off on a summer break, the midfielder’s days were spent relaxing by the pool instead of in front of a television.

Now, however, the Aston Villa star has no such plans for a sunshine getaway next June and July as Glasgow joins several other cities in hosting Euro 2020.

England and Wales are both already through to the finals, with Northern Ireland and Scotland hoping to join them via the play-offs.

And after scoring seven goals in his last six national team appearances, the country’s new talisman is increasingly confident Steve Clarke’s side can end their 22-year exile from a major finals.

‘It was tough back in 2016 — to be honest, I didn’t watch much of the Euros,’ said McGinn after scoring a double in last night’s 3-1 win over Kazakhstan at Hampden.

‘I was on the periphery of the squad at the time and after we fell short, it was hard to watch it with all the other countries qualifying.

‘I went on holiday, so I was out of the country and I spent my time chilling out instead of watching the Euros. I managed to avoid it as much as I could.

‘But I haven’t booked a holiday for next summer because I believe we will get there. For a long time it has been Scotland sitting on the sidelines when other teams are playing in major championships. ‘There won’t be another country in the Home Nations who are craving getting to this Euros more than us.

‘We all want to give the fans, the loyal supporters who turn out to watch us, something to shout about. Getting to a major tournament for them is the aim of everyone.

‘On a personal level, it was great to score more goals for Scotland tonight. It’s odd because I went 15 caps without a goal and it was annoying me.

‘Then I got a goal against Russia and it just seems to have continued from there. Hopefully, I can carry that form on into the play-offs.’

Scotland fell behind to a stunning goal from Baktiyar Zainutdinov last night but McGinn’s double either side of a Steven Naismith header ensured Scotland end their Group I campaign with the momentum of three consecutive wins.

And the 25-year-old believes Clarke’s side is now developing the character that was lacking earlier in the campaign.

McGinn said: ‘You have to be able to handle the pressure of playing for Scotland. We have to take that burden on our shoulders.

‘For a long time you were watching the highlights and seeing the lads play well for their clubs every week, but we were not contributing enough in a Scotland jersey.

‘I don’t know why that was, but you are starting to see a difference now.

‘We were a squad and a nation battered for confidence at the start of the campaign, but slowly and surely we have built it back up.

Getting a strong end to the group was massive for us. Now we have had three wins in a row and hopefully we can keep that going in March.

‘Until then, we will go back to our clubs and focus on playing well and making sure we are fit and ready by the time the play-offs come around in the spring.’

Scotland were missing a host of star players like Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Scott McTominay, Ryan Fraser and Leigh Griffiths, who scored twice as Celtic’s development team beat Stenhousemuir 6-0 in a friendly last night.

Ryan Christie believes with those players back in March, the Scots must dare to dream of getting back to the big time when they face either Bulgaria, Hungary, Israel or Romania in the play off semi-finals with then Norway or Serbia waiting in the final.

‘We are not going to get a better chance than this to reach the Euros,’ said Christie.

‘Overall, it has been a frustrating qualifying campaign but we have the play-offs to fall back on.

‘It would be amazing to be at the Euros and we have a great opportunity. It gives us confidence to look at all the good players who are still to come back for the play-offs in March.

‘I’ve no preference who we get. It will be tough whoever we face because the teams we are playing against are in the same boat and they will be desperate to get to the finals, as well.

‘But it’s been a long time for us not being at major tournaments and we all want to get back there.’