Hearts captain Craig Gordon reveals his view on Zander Clark for Scotland and his international disappointment

Not taking part in Scotland’s opening European Championship qualifiers will be another sad consequence of a double leg-break for Craig Gordon. He might derive some comfort if Zander Clark is the man chosen to deputise in goal.

The Hearts captain is in the midst of a long rehabilitation process after suffering a horrible injury against Dundee United on Christmas Eve. Clark immediately stepped in and has kept goal for the Edinburgh club impressively since. The next question is whether he might be invited to do likewise for Scotland.

Gordon’s injury left a void at both club and international level but Clark’s assured displays killed any worries at Tynecastle Park over the daunting task of filling the skipper’s gloves. The hitherto-uncapped Clark is a leading contender to do the same at Hampden Park next month when Cyprus and Spain visit to kick-off Euro 2024 qualifying.

“From a personal point of view, I had to check out of the season and look at my own situation: When I was going to get back and what I was going to do to achieve that. But I don’t feel like anyone is letting the team down. I knew Zander would go in there and do well,” said Gordon.

Hearts and Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon suffered a double leg break on Christmas Eve last year. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

“It’s been no surprise he has gone in and made some saves that have been important for the team. He’s put himself in a good position. There are not too many Scottish goalkeepers who are playing week in, week out. So for him to be able to do that now is good. He has been in the [Scotland] squad before so the manager knows what he can do. I think it will be an interesting time to see what happens there.

“I am disappointed from my own point of view not to go and get another cap. For the guys who are fighting for the jersey, it is there for them to grasp and get the nod for the next game.”

If promotion from the Riccarton squad to the Scotland squad is a step up, Gordon is convinced Clark can handle it. “He’s played in European football with St Johnstone, which is a step up, so he has tasted different levels of football in his career. He has played a lot of games now, he’s 30 years old, he knows the game.

“It is a step up and I am sure for whoever is called upon it will be a big moment in their career. That excitement and adrenaline is always a good thing going into a big game like that.”

Hearts men's captain Craig Gordon and women's captain Georgia Hunter unveil loveholidays as the club's official holiday partner.

Watching from the stand in recent weeks has allowed Gordon to study Clark’s qualities. The former St Johnstone goalkeeper joined Hearts last September and has kept six clean sheets in 11 starts since stepping into the team.

“I had trained with him before he came to the club and I knew what Hearts were getting,” said Gordon. “He is doing exactly what he was doing at St Johnstone, he was very solid there for a number of years. There are no surprises, I knew exactly what he was good at and he knew coming to Hearts was going to be a challenge.

“People may think it’s a step up coming from St Johnstone to Hearts, but he is still in the same league and doing a similar job to what he did there. He’s carried that on and playing in a team that are fighting at the other end of the league very well.”

This weekend, two other international goalkeepers will take centre stage in Scottish football when Gordon’s former club, Celtic, take on Rangers and his old Edinburgh mate Allan McGregor in the Viaplay Cup final.

Craig Gordon and Georgia Hunter are pictured as Hearts unveil loveholidays as their official holiday parter at Waverley Station. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

McGregor’s own form has come under the spotlight in recent months and he was left out of the team for former Hearts keeper Jon McLaughlin earlier in the campaign. Manager Michael Beale does not yet appear settled on who should be first-choice at Ibrox. However, McGregor is expected to start at Hampden Park on Sunday.

"He's had an incredible career, a lot of big games and big performances. I would expect him to rise to this one,” predicted Gordon. “He's a year older than me but, being of a similar age, I know how much hard work it will take from here on in for him and myself.

“It's great that he is still playing. I thought it might have been his last game ever at the end of last season when he came off the bench for a minute. He has managed to go another season and who knows? We will see at the end of this season whether he goes again.”

Gordon’s successor at Celtic Park is the Englishman Joe Hart, another keeper who had to cope with his fair share of cynicism through the years. He is the undisputed No.1 under manager Ange Postecoglou.

Zander Clark during a Scotland training session last May.

“It's resilience to get back out there. The criticism you had in the past will never go away,” Gordon pointed out. “It's always something people will go back to right throughout his career. People mention it about him and when he left Man City. That's what everyone wants to talk about. They don't want to talk about how he has managed to come back via different clubs and all the avenues he had to go down.

“He was a second-choice for a while but he's come back and is now a No.1 playing in a cup final with a great chance of winning the league as well. You need to give great credit to both him and Allan for the careers they've had and the number of times they came back and showed what they are worth.”