Euros axe hurt so much I had to escape Scotland – now I’m ready to be No1 again

CRAIG GORDON wasn’t sure what to do — he just knew he had to flee the country.

Just a few days earlier the veteran keeper’s world had fallen apart.

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Axed from the Scotland squad bound for the Euro finals in Germany, the 41-year-old was trying to come to terms with the fact his international career was apparently over.

With his head still in a spin, everybody he met wanted to stop and talk about it.

All Hearts keeper Gordon wanted to do was avoid talking about it.

So with his family in tow, he packed his bags and made his escape.

Gordon, who has since reclaimed the No 1 jersey at the Jambos, and made a remarkable return to Steve Clarke’s squad, said: “That initial period was hard.

“A few days, probably a few weeks, after the initial conversation, it was hard.

“It’s difficult for anybody to have that conversation, no matter what side you are on.

“I spoke to the gaffer and it was difficult for him to deal with as well. But he had to make a big decision.

“I know that’s partly what comes with football, and the manager’s got to make that call.

“So it was a difficult one for me to take on that day. It was tough.

“Immediately after that I was able to get myself away for a few days’ holiday to get me out of Scotland, because that’s all anybody wanted to talk to me about. I didn’t really want to talk about it.

“It was nice to have three or four days out of the country.

“I watched all the matches at the Euros. You can’t take that away from me.

“You still want the team to do well and the country to progress. You want everybody that you have left behind, and who went to the tournament, to have a successful time.

“I tuned in to all the matches to watch them, even though it was difficult not being there, having given everything I possibly could to the effort to try and be part of it.

“But that’s not always under your full control.

“I did what I felt was my best I could possibly give to make that happen.

“When you do that, when you feel as if you have given everything to it, then it is slightly easier to come to terms with. That was the decision that was made, but I did everything I possibly could to make it happen.

“So I had to just go away and work even harder to try to come back again.”

Just two months shy of his 42nd birthday, that’s exactly what he’s done.

After more than a year out with a double leg break, Gordon has started eight of Hearts’ ten matches this season.

Now, with current Scotland No 1 Angus Gunn injured, he’s in line to add to his 75 caps in the Nations League clashes with Croatia in Zagreb on Saturday, and then Portugal at Hampden next Tuesday.

Four months ago, that seemed highly unlikely. Asked if he thought the 2-2 friendly draw with Finland at Hampden in June would be his Scotland swansong, Gordon admitted: “Absolutely.

“I had to ask the kit man for a new tracksuit because I didn’t think I would be needing that again.

“It was nice to see everybody again. It just shows that you never really know in football because anything can happen.

“We’ll see how the week goes. It was a good session this morning. I enjoyed it and did well.

“Now it’s just a case of getting down to the hard work over this week — and proving I’ve got what it takes to start the game over in Croatia.

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“I’ll work hard this week and try to put myself in the manager’s thoughts.”

Gordon was unveiled as a McDonald’s Fun Football ambassador yesterday.

He added: “It’s great to see McDonald’s are providing these Fun Football sessions all across Scotland.

“They are free, fun and open to all abilities, so perfect it’s for kids who want to kick off their football journey.

“I’ve had first-hand experience of these sessions before when I took my girls along and they had a great time. I wish I’d had them when I was a youngster!”

Despite the pain of rejection this summer, Gordon never once thought of quitting Scotland.

When Clarke’s SOS came, he was more than happy to answer the call.
Gordon insisted: “That’s not really in my character to be able to do that. I always want to be available for selection.

“As long as I’m playing football, I want to be available. Then it’s up to the manager to decide whether to pick me or not. That’s not something I think about.

“I love playing for Scotland every single time I’ve been able to do it. Hopefully I get the chance to do that again, which would be another amazing comeback.

“After what happened here in the Finland game and the guys going off to the Euros, it did feel like the end.

“Everybody thought that. But I knew if I could get back to being as fit as I possibly could, training well and get games at Hearts, you just never know what can happen.”

It’s now more than 20 years since Gordon made his Scotland debut — against Trinidad and Tobago in May 2004.

His substitute appearance in that final Euro warm-up match against Finland made him our oldest-ever international.

Incredibly, he shows no signs of slowing down. So, where does his remarkable drive come from?

Gordon added: “I’m not entirely sure. It’s just a never-give-up attitude.

“It probably comes from my upbringing. I used to play my dad at every single sport, and he used to win every time.

“It just instilled a drive in me to keep getting better and to try to beat him, whether it was table tennis, football, whatever. He was always better than me at everything.

“That probably was the start of the drive to get better, to keep improving, to try to beat him. I’ve just continued it through my career.”

CRAIG GORDON was celebrating the latest free wave of McDonald’s Fun Football sessions this Autumn, available to all children aged 5-11 across Scotland. Sign up now for your nearest free session at mcdonalds.co.uk/football

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