DOWN TO THE MITTY GRITTY
Hanley’s up for battle to shackle old Toon mate
Grant Hanley insists he’s ready for a Belgrade battle with former team- mate Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The stopper ended a twoyear exile from the Scotland squad when he was named in the 27-man pool for the Euro play-off final against Serbia.
And the Norwich City skipper would love a crack at £23million man Mitrovic who will lead the line for the Serbs in the Rajko Mitic stadium.
Hanley spent a season with Mitrovic at Newcastle only for the striker to struggle during his spell at St James’
Park. But he has been a revelation since his bigmoney switch to Fulham.
Hanley ( r ight) knows Mitrovic better than anyone in the Scotland squad after they helped Rafa Benitez’s Magpies win promotion from the Championship.
And the 28-year-old said: “Everybody knows what Mitro is like. He’s aggressive and a handful.
“Whatever centre-half he comes up against normally finds themselves in a battle – I had a few in training.
“He didn’t play as much as he would have liked to at Newcastle not through any fault of his own.
“But whenever Mitro was involved he scored goals.
“His record speaks for itself. He’s proved he has the qual ity to score goals wherever he plays.
“But it’s nothing new for the lads. We wi l l do our homework and be ready.”
And Hanley insists he’ l l be ready if Clarke throws him into the thick of the action on Thursday more than two years after his last cap in a 1- 0 Hampden friendly loss to Costa Rica. He has played every minute of Nor w ich ’s seven- game unbeaten run. Clarke is expected to go w i th a t h ree - man centra l defence after three straight clean sheets and
Hanley will be ready to slot into that system if needed.
He said: “The run of clean sheets is brilliant. We showed real resilience and that we are difficult to beat.
“At any level of football you need a solid base and that starts with clean sheets.
“If you can keep a clean sheet you are always going to give yourself a chance.
“We wi l l be ready for whatever tactics or style of play the manager wants.
“I have played in that position and that formation (three at the back) before.
“It is quite common now so I will be prepared for that.”