Fraser has faith in suffering Scotland to turn the tide
RYAN FRASER insists Scotland are still capable of getting to Euro 2020 through the traditional qualifying route.
An unforeseen 3-0 defeat in Kazakhstan made for the most damaging of starts to the Group I schedule — and Russia’s subsequent 4-0 win at the Astana Arena managed to make the result look even worse.
With both the Russians and the world’s top-ranked side Belgium to be played twice before the conclusion of the campaign, logic would suggest that Scotland’s best prospects lie in the play-off place secured through the Nations League last year.
Fraser, who missed the shambles in Kazakhstan after club side Bournemouth vetoed his participation on a plastic pitch, doesn’t see it that way.
The winger returned for the win over San Marino last Sunday and believes Alex McLeish’s side are not only capable of beating Cyprus in their next qualifier, but emerging with a point from the daunting trip to Brussels a few nights later.
‘Those two games are massive, no doubt about that,’ he admitted. ‘As long as we can win the game we are expected to win, then we still have a great chance of qualifying.
‘We can definitely win (against Cyprus) and, in the case of the Belgium game, we can get something from it.
‘It is going to be difficult but I don’t know why everybody has written us off already, to be honest. People lose games. We just need to come back from it stronger. ‘People wanted four, five goals from us in San Marino but we got the three points. If we qualify then no one is going to remember the 2-0 scoreline at the end.’ Statistically one of the most productive attacking players in Europe at club level, Fraser claimed his first international goal against Albania in the Nations League. He was again deployed in his favoured left-wing spot against the Sammarinese last weekend and, although he was not at his best, claimed an assist for Kenny McLean’s opening goal.
‘I don’t want to be the player that is just there any more,’ stated the former Aberdeen starlet. ‘I want to go out and be the main man and that’s not me being big time or anything like that.
‘We have a good, young group of players so I want to stamp my authority.
‘I don’t want to come along and just be ordinary, I want to do my best and try to make a difference.
‘Sometimes it won’t happen, sometimes I will have a bad game. But it is how you come back from it and make yourself stronger.
‘I set the bar myself. I want to be the best player I possibly can. This season, whatever I get, I will try and beat next season and then the same again the next after that.’