Lawrence Shankland shares Steve Clarke demand that sparked Scotland glory as Craig Gordon in emotional address
The Hearts pair were on fine form for the country on Tuesday night.
Lawrence Shankland has divulged the Scotland message sent to him by Steve Clarke before his Hampden heroics - as Craig Gordon makes an emotional retirement admission.
A Danish draw with Belarus last weekend set up a Hampden shootout with the Danes for a chance to reach a first World Cup since 1998. Hearts striker Shankland came off the bench to net one of the four goals in a historic 4-2 triumph with Tynecastle teammate Craig Gordon between the sticks.
Scott McTominay, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean all netted in spectacular fashion while Shankland showed his Hearts form with a tidy close range finish. Denmark, reduced to 10 men in the second half, levelled after the forward’s big moment to spark fears it would mean little. Now with a ticket to America, Canada and Mexico booked, the forward isn’t keen of letting it go.
Lawrence Shankland on Scotland at the World Cup
He said on the BBC: “Your luck goes your way when you need it the other night with the results and coming in, I think the national anthem, that was special. There were goosebumps even on the bench. McTominay's goal kind of sets us on our way, but it was a difficult night. They had been a top side, they have got a lot of quality, and it was just about finding a way. Thankfully enough, we did.
“They just went down to 10 men, and the manager wanted to go two up front, so me and Che Adams went on. It was just to try and get a goal. He said to us, ‘try and get a goal, or get two if you can’, so we managed to get one! Obviously KT and Kenny added that bit of quality as well. It was just a special feeling, and what a feeling to go through.
“That is right up there. Don't get me wrong, it was probably the lightest contact I've ever had on a finish, it was just enough to claim it! I didn’t know too much about it but it's a great ball for Lewis Ferguson, and just misses the defender. It's just instinct to stick your leg out and get a wee touch on it. As I said, it was enough to claim it. Scoring on a night like this, in a game like this, is obviously special. Then they go up the pitch and get an equaliser, you think, oh no, it could mean nothing.
“Thankfully the squad have shown through our time together. It's all about a squad, and three people that come off the bench get the goals to get us through. It’s amazing. I've been in that stand cheering teams on over the years, and not been able to achieve. To be here as a part of a squad that's just qualified to the World Cup, it's an incredible feeling, and it'll probably not sink in for a wee while, but the work starts now to stay in the squad.”
Craig Gordon on Scotland
Meanwhile, Gordon admitted that retirement was on his mind in the summer, but it was Clarke who convinced him otherwise. The 42-year-old said: "What a crazy night. The quality of some of those goals, I don't think we'll see in another 20 year. I've been playing for 21 years with the national team. To go through all that and end with a night like that, incredible.
"They are a very good team, but to score four goals like that and to reach a World Cup with a goal from our own half in the last minute, you would never imagine that. The group have been very calm through the week. We just needed one chance and we ended up with two unbelievable goals in the dying stages - it probably needed something like that to break our duck and get to a World Cup.
"It's emotional to think about. It's been an awful long time coming. Incredible to be a part of it and it will take a while to sink it. I nearly retired in the summer and Steve Clarke was the one who told me to give it one more year. That is worth everything. All the hard work, all the disappointments."