Scotland: Pride breeds belief for Robert Snodgrass
Last updated on .From the section Football
Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass has insisted that pride is the only motivation needed to get a result against Croatia.
The hosts top World Cup qualifying Group A with Belgium while the Scots sit bottom without a victory ahead of Friday's match in Zagreb.
"I think the table says it all. We are down at the bottom, they are fighting at the top," he said.
"But there is a level of pride at stake and a belief that we can get a result."
And Snodgrass maintained that the Scots would not be turning up if they did not think themselves capable of getting something from the match.
"I would hate to be in a changing room with lads that didn't believe they could win a game," he said.
"It is a matter of pride. Most footballers I know want to win every training session never mind games and that's what it will take to get a result there on Friday."
The Norwich City midfielder was also quick to defend the Scots despite poor World Cup results.
"We have been very unlucky during this campaign," he insisted.
"People might think differently, but I think we should have beaten Wales home and away and we could have got a better result against Serbia.
"We are where we are because we didn't take our chances, so we will try to put those things right come Friday."
Snodgrass also insisted the Scotland fans had not seen the best of his club-mate, Russell Martin.
"He's a top professional, a top athlete and most of all, he is a top player," he said.
"I have seen him day in, day out and he is a leader and a winner and that's what you need."
The 25-year-old also gave his thoughts on being reunited with former Livingston team-mate Leigh Griffiths, also called up to the Scotland squad.
"I watched him in training this week and he has not changed much from when he was younger," said Snodgrass.
"He was shooting from everywhere then, every angle possible, and he still does the same.
"He wants to score goals and that is a great thing to have in your locker."
However, Snodgrass revealed that Griffiths, who was on loan at Hibernian from Wolves last season, appeared calmer than when they had shared a dressing-room as teenagers.
"He has probably grown up a lot from then," he said. "He was a young boy then, but he has kids now, he is a dad.
"Nothing fazes Leigh. He has said that he wants to play for Scotland, so hopefully he gets the chance and does the business."
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As in 'You're Not Whining Again?'
Difference between a Liverpool fan and a jet engine? A jet engine stops whining when its not working......
Not even the best club in Liverpool
Stop posting.
We know how much Scots care about England, and equally we care about their present status, that sees them on par with New Zealand , on a bad day.
"We only need 3 things to start qualifying for tournaments again. Pride, belief and a settled first 11."
At the risk of turning this into a Monty Python sketch (the Spanish Inquisition), the team also needs skill & talent, both of which are lacking in our players.
You see, the Faroes, Andorra, etc, also have pride, belief and a settled first 11, but it doesn't get them far.
That's lucky then. If it were down to footballing talent, Scotland wouldn't stand a chance -- even against a Wales outfit managed by the ever-hopeless Coventry reject Chris Coleman.
none of his gaps were undeserved. maybe he didn't play well in some of the matches, name me one player who has, but his club form was constantly first class and he was included in the squads on merit
Snodgrass can believe all he wants, but unless he backs it up with ability, then nothing will come of it. Lets just hope his pride doesn't presage another fall.
We need some half decent players, look at every group , take
the top three sides in each and not one Scotland player would
get into their first 11. Very few would get into their squads.
Five wins in twenty two games tells the story. Name any game
remaining in this campaign that you would put a tenner on us
to win. Good grief Wales are dros and they gubbed us twice.
We are lucky to have 2 pts
from mid seventies to 1990, these players gave us
some pride by actually winning some International matches
and qualifying for Tournaments, sure we made a rickett of
it when we got there but I would have those days back in
a heartbeat. Liechtenstein twice (once by a fluke), Iceland
twice, Lithuania and Macedonia in 5 years - 22 games.
Shameful.
From 1983 to his retirement from international football in 1986, Kenny Dalglish played 13 times for Scotland, only scoring an unremarkable twice.
If that was Kenny Miller we'd all be in uproar about it.
Fact is, Scotland has only ever really had one truly top class striker, that being Dennis Law.
Sure, King Kenny wasn't bad, but not nearly as good as we think we remember him.
Eight tournament qualifications from Sept '72 - Nov '97.
1950 - 1972 - 2 qualifications
1998 - 2014 and counting.
We might have had bad results/performances
but like it or not that was our Golden Age. Each
player deserves credit for their efforts, 'when will we
see the like again?'
Player for player we're much better than certain other countries who expect to qualify, we just need the confidence.