WE’VE DITCHED ‘FAILURES’ TAG
LEE McCULLOCH’S Scotland side were tagged as glorious failures when they missed out on Euro 2008 after failing to finish their Italian job.
But the former Rangers skipper reckons Steve Clarke’s side can claim the label of magnificent history-makers by reaching this summer’s knockout stages in Germany.
The current national side have already managed what McCulloch couldn’t during Alex McLeish’s spell in charge.
His goal in a 3-1 Glasgow win over Ukraine in October 2007 helped put the Scots in a fabulous position to qualify for Euro 2008.
Having beaten France home and away, they needed four points from their final two qualifiers against Georgia and world champions Italy to book their place at the finals in Austria and Switzerland.
But a shock loss in Tbilisi was followed by harrowing Hampden heartache as Christian Panucci fired a 90th-minute winner from a free-kick wrongly awarded by blundering Spanish ref Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez.
Clarke’s side have helped to heal those wounds by reaching back-to-back Euros.
They head to this year’s tournament high on confidence despite Friday’s 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands.
McCulloch has even loftier expectations having backed the current Scots squad to do what no other Dark Blues line- up has achieved and progress past the first round of a major competition.
Askedd to look back on his ownn agonising memoriesies of that
Euro 2008 bidbid, , McCullochloch said: “Thanks ff oo r remindingng me! That was a soreore one.
“We’dd had good results esults against good teams like l ike France and Ukra i n e . But when en it came e to the final push we fell a bit short. We were annoyed because we felt it landed us the ‘glorious failure’ tag again.
“But listen, the current boys have shed that label now. They have got over the hurdle of getting us through to a major finals.
“The manager deserves so much credit. Not just for the team he has built but also for the culture he has developed.
“Let’s hope we become the first team in Scotland’s history to get through the group phase.
“What an achievement that would be!”
McCulloch hopes to be among the travelling Tartan Army when Scotland kick-off the tournament against hosts Germany on June 14.
He said: “It’s the perfect start. It is probably the biggest game of the tournament as it is the opening match.
“The whole world will be watching. I would not rule us out of getting a point or even winning the game!”
Mc Culloch was at Murrayfield to announce a pre-season friendly between Rangers and Manchester United this summer.
And he hopes the clash at the home of Scottish rugby on July 20 will act as a happy homecoming for Scotland ace Scott Mc Tominay.
“It will be a huge summer for Scott with the Euros and the pre-season game against Rangers,” he said.
“He was arguably our best player through the campaign.
Hopefully, he can continue to show that form through the Euros.
Tickets forfo the friendly at Murray-field went on public salesal from Friday priced at £37 for adults and £19 for Under-16s. Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmastm er and Tick-etek