Scotland’s penalty saviour Kenny McLean insists there is no room for fear as the national team look to seal their Euro 2020 place against Serbia.
McLean, whose spot-kick against Israel got Scotland to Belgrade, believes Scotland will go to any lengths required to ensure they emerge victorious tomorrow night.
The game could go to extra-time and penalties again, as both sides look to earn a spot in the delayed competition next year.
For Scotland the wait has been a lot longer than their opponents, with the 1998 World Cup the last time the national side tasted tournament football.
McLean said: “There is going to be two teams who will give everything I am sure. We are under no illusions that we are going to go there and win the game comfortably. It is going to be a tough game against a very good team with a lot of quality.
“But if I look around about me and see the squad that we’ve got we can’t go and fear them. We will show them plenty of respect because they deserve that. But we don’t go there with any fear.
“We need to be confident, we need to be everything that will take us to the next stage. It is going to be a very tough game – demanding, aggressive, everything. We need to be ready for that. I have got absolutely no doubt we will be.”
Scotland have enjoyed a renaissance under Steve Clarke, putting together an eight-game unbeaten run which also has them top of their Nations League group. That came after a difficult qualifying campaign for the Euros which included heavy defeats to Belgium and Russia.
They now have a significant prize in front of them tomorrow night, to banish two decades’ worth of international shortcomings.
McLean added: “We are well aware of what is at stake and it took a lot of hard work to get us here. We find ourselves in a position that we can go and do something special. You don’t want to think of too much negative stuff.
“We need to look at what we have been doing as a team and as a squad. Everything is pretty positive and we need to focus on that and focus on how good we can be.
“We know that we are up against a really good team and we know that going there is not going to be easy but the mood that we are in and the way that we have been playing then we can give ourselves a chance.
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) October 8, 2020
If the game should require penalties? The former Aberdeen man has no issue with that.
“I would like to get it done before then, but if it takes that then I will take it,” he said.
