Englishman Edwards wants a Scotland win at Wembley in Euros
Dundee United defender Ryan Edwards is looking forward to getting the real Scottish football experience next season.
And the Englishman will be delighted if there’s a feel-good factor that comes from Scotland beating England at Wembley in the Euros.
He said: “I haven’t followed England for a long time. It’s the system there, I don’t think people get picked on merit. I’ll be rooting for Scotland.
“Not many Liverpool fans follow England, certainly not many Scousers.
“It goes back to more than football, with the Thatcher thing and the way the country made out Scousers to be something they weren’t.”
Edwards believes there’s a bias towards the elite clubs – like those keen on forming a Super League – when it comes to selection for the England squad.
He added: “The system I think is wrong because players don’t get picked on merit, it’s all about who’s at the bigger clubs.
“I think Scotland is different and it’s brilliant.
“Some of the lads I’m playing with now and I’ve played against in the past, the likes of Liam Cooper and Grant Hanley, it would be great to see them doing well at Wembley.
“There’s been many players doing well at mid-table or lower English Premier League teams but they’ve been overlooked for someone at Manchester United who’s not even been playing.
“I just think it’s wrong to kill opportunities for players who’re doing well and deserve a chance.
“A good mate of mine who was my centre-back partner in a youth cup run is Jack O’Connell of Sheffield United.
“He’s injured, so it’s not the right time for him but I think he might have been knocking on the door before.
“He was playing in a back three for United when they finished ninth.
“If he was at a Man United or a Liverpool, I think he would have got a chance.
“My brother’s mate is Aaron Cresswell. I think he’s been the best left-back in the Premier League this season.
“I know Luke Shaw has done well but if Aaron isn’t the best, he’s certainly the next after Shaw.
“If he was at a United or a City, I’m sure he would be in the squad.”
Edwards hopes United can end the season on a winning note against St Mirren today. Then, hopefully, he can look forward to starting next season in a more normal manner.
He arrived from Blackpool last summer when the country was in the grip of Covid-19.
He said: “I haven’t had the whole Scottish Football experience and not just at Tannadice without fans.
“On the away trips, I’m asking everyone: ‘How many fans would normally be here today? What’s the capacity?’
“I think I’ve found a little bit from the fan gatherings at the stadium before we set off for the Cup games. “That was unreal and gave us a real lift.
“It’s a taste of what backing we might get if things go back to normal.”
Dundee United boss Micky Mellon is also anxious for life to change as the year goes on.
He said: “It has been incredibly difficult for me and my family to move to Scotland and become so isolated. “My other four kids are all in England. “I haven’t seen them and I’ve haven’t seen my own mother once. She’s living in Scotland.
“I also haven’t met the Dundee United fans. That has been tough.
“My wife and I were walking the other day and there was a little kid of around 18 months old running around mad.
“His parents were apologising for him and I said there was no need.
“They said: ‘His problem is, he’s never seen people’.
“I thought ‘wow’, this kid had never seen people out and about in the streets. He’d been in the house since just after he was born.
“When things like that happen, it dawns on you just how strange it has been.”