McGINN WOULD HAVE TO BE ‘ON CRUTCHES’ IF HE IS ABSENT FOR SCOTLAND DUTY
JOHN McGINN insists he would need to be ‘on crutches’ before calling off from Scotland duty. At the end of a week of multiple call-offs from Steve Clarke’s squad, McGinn started against Cyprus in Nicosia yesterday and scored the winner after Georgios Efrem had levelled for the hosts to give Scotland a 2-1 win following Ryan Christie’s early opener.
The Aston Villa midfielder earned his 20th cap in the penultimate Euro 2020 qualifier, while fellow Premier League players such as Ryan Fraser, Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay and Kieran Tierney stayed at home.
Keen to stress that he has the full backing of Villa boss Dean Smith as he pursues his international career, McGinn insists he remains as proud as ever to represent his country.
He said: ‘I’m sure every player and club is different. I can only speak from my experience and I’m sure Dean Smith would tell you — I’d have to be on crutches to not come here.
‘I always, as best as I can, try and make myself available. I think I’ve had to pull out once in training.
‘I’m sure the lads have got their reasons, I don’t know whether it’s through injury or other things.
‘I watched big Scotty get a little knock at the weekend, so I don’t know whether their clubs have ruled them out.
‘I can only focus on what myself and the club allow me to do here and Dean Smith is very comfortable with me coming here and knows my stance on it.’
Fraser, Robertson and McTominay all called off after sustaining injuries playing for their clubs last weekend, while Tierney’s employers Arsenal asked for the defender not to be selected as he continues to work towards optimum fitness following his £25million transfer from Celtic.
The number of absentees has made Clarke’s job tougher and aroused suspicion over the commitment of some players, yet McGinn insists he has not detected any unwillingness to turn out from his colleagues.
‘The vibe I get here is that everyone wants to be involved,’ he continued. ‘That’s the way it should be really and it’s a point I made clear to Aston Villa when I signed.
‘From a selfish point of view, I think clubs just want you wrapped in cotton wool but I can only speak from my experience with the manager.
‘If he ever got called up for England he would have been the first one there. He’s always open to that and always thinks about his experiences, so it’s never a problem from my end.
‘I don’t know if it is with other people, I don’t really get involved in that, but I’d hope not.
‘It’s hard for the ones that are here because we want everyone available.
‘I can only speak for myself and every time I am called up it’s a privilege and an honour to play for Scotland. Everyone in the country and I am sure everyone in the squad feels the exact same way.’