Hibs star on Scotland SOS, Euro 2024 and place in Tartan Army folklore

Veteran happy to be a fan in Germany - but would never say no to Clarke

Only a serious injury crisis would persuade David Marshall to answer an SOS from Steve Clarke at Euro 2024. But the near certainty of being restricted to a watching brief is doing nothing to diminish the former Scotland No.1’s excitement levels ahead of a potentially magical summer.

The Hibs goalie, asked outright if he’d consider reversing his international retirement to compete with Angus Gunn, Zander Clark and – potentially – a fit-again Craig Gordon for a place at the European Championships kicking off when Scotland play hosts Germany on June 14, insisted: “No, not at all. I’m just going to keep playing away here. The lads have been in there, Angus has stepped in and been great. Playing for Scotland was great, I enjoyed it, but full focus is on Hibs.

“Injuries is obviously a different kettle of fish. If that happens, it happens ... but Craig is back fit, and Zander has been there and been good for Hearts over the last 18 months so I’m sure they’ll be fine.

“I’m hoping to go as a fan, but I need to try to dig some tickets up. It’s not as easy as you think. I’ll maybe drop John McGinn a text and tell him he’s due me a couple after we let Aston Villa beat us! I’d like to go and take the kids and be on the other side of it.”

John McGinn and Jacob Brown celebrate a goal against Norway at Hampden, as Scotland took a step closer to Euro 2024 finals.

Being part of the Tartan Army at a major tournament is certainly an experience that Marshall would enjoy. Partly because he’s guaranteed to be feted and celebrated every time he walks into a fan zone or bar room packed full of Scots.

The 38-year-old will ALWAYS be the guy whose penalty shoot-out heroics ended Scotland’s long wait for a return to the international stage, his save from Aleksandar Mitrovic in Belgrade sparking nationwide celebrations at a time when the pandemic prevented fans from travelling to Serbia. His life changed forever on that incredible night.

"I went from just being a goalie for Scotland to someone who made that penalty save; it changes it massively,” he admitted, adding: "That was an amazing night and a privilege to do it - and it was just fortunate that I was the goalie at the time. It could have been me, Allan McGregor, or Craig Gordon and you could have picked any one of the three of us. 

"It was a bit of history and I’m fortunate I was part of it. But I’m still buying my own drinks!"

Marshall, who started all three games in front of restricted crowds at the delayed Euro 2020 finals, is adamant that he has no regrets about walking away from the international scene following Scotland’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It was time, he insists, to hand the baton over to others. He’s content cheering on his former team-mates. And looking forward to that tantalising tournament opener.

"It is great to see the lads get there because I know the majority of the squad really well,” he said, adding: "I think it will be a lot better for everyone because there will be more fans, it’s all in the one country, and Scotland are flying high.

“Aye, it’s a good draw. To get the opener is fantastic. I remember when we opened against Brazil in France in 1998 so it’s fantastic to do that.

“I was thinking how important it is in the first game, to try to take something from it, and then Germany came out the hat! So obviously it’s tough but I think the boys can be confident in terms of how they’ve done in the last couple of years. They’ve kicked on and some of the boys playing down south are in really good form so the confidence will be there and hopefully they can get something in that first game.

“Some of the third places go through as well so you’ve potentially got that as well. Hopefully they can be the first Scotland team to get out of the groups.

“Speaking to the manager after last time, I think Croatia (who beat Scotland in their decisive third group game) showed their experience and they knew how to get it done. They had been there before and although they had a lot of quality, their tournament experience showed. But Scotland have a real chance, with the two best third-place teams getting out the groups as well, potentially, so it's about minimising the goals against and stuff like that because everything helps."

Most Scotland fans could take a stab at identifying the players who will be key for Clarke not just in that Germany game, but in the ‘other’ Group A fixtures against Hungary and Switzerland. And a certain John McGinn, forever an Easter Road favourite, would top most punters’ lists. Marshall included.

"He just seems to have kicked on since the manager changed at Aston Villa,” said the former Celtic, Cardiff and Derby ‘keeper. "He seems to have grown in stature and stepped up another couple of levels and when you see him in the Premier League or in Europe, he just seems to have kicked on. He is the captain at the club as well which is no small feat with the players in that squad so that just shows you how highly managers think of him.”