Hearts stopper Zander Clark insists he’s ready to battle with Scotland’s new crop of keepers to claim the gloves for his country.
Clark has grasped his chance to show his abilities for the Jambos after Craig Gordon suffered a horror leg break. His performances between the sticks have earned him another call-up to Steve Clarke’s squad ahead of two huge Euro 2024 qualifiers against Cyprus and Spain later this month. Clark will go up against Angus Gunn and Liam Kelly to stake his claim for a start in those big fixtures but insists all three will have a role to play to help Scotland get off to a flier in their Group A section.
Speaking to the media about his chances, Clark said: “Listen, there’s always battles. As a goalkeeper you know there’s only that one position and only one of you can play. So now it’s down to the next group to have those battles in training, proving that you’re of the standard to go in and replicate what the ones previously have done. You’re just focused on what you need to do to get into the team and playing.
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“Being a goalkeeper, we’re a special bunch. There’s not many outfield players who could fit into a goalkeeping group, we’re a daft bunch, there’s never any fall-outs, or very rarely, in the goalkeeping department.
"Everyone just wants to do their very best. With the one who’s playing, if you can push him and improve then it’s better for the team, then you’re delighted.
"Then if they have a dip and you take their place, you’re obviously delighted for yourself but the first people to come and congratulate you are the other goalkeepers.”
Clark admits it has “felt like a lifetime” watching stalwarts Allan McGregor, Craig Gordon and David Marshall perform heroics in dark blue. The 30-year-old gave a mention to Marshall now a rival at Hibs for highlighting the key role that keeper’s can play.
"It’s been that three that have really produced top-level goalkeeping and have got us on the brink of tournaments and got us into the Euros, which came from a magnificent piece of goalkeeping from Marsh,” Clark added.
Clark admits he never expected to be in the squad but he’s delighted after getting a run of games in the team, albeit at the expense of Gordon.
He now has one more game to perform ahead of international duty with a tricky away trip to Aberdeen beckoning for Robbie Neilson’s men.
But Clark doesn’t see that game as a final audition before he joins up with the squad.
He added: “I don’t look at it like that, in terms of going into the weekend game thinking that I have to play really well to stake a claim. As I said, we will have a week of training to show the manager and Chris Woods, the goalkeeper coach, who will be looking at what we can bring to the table.
“It is up to myself, Angus and Liam to prove that one of us is ready to step in and do that job that Craigy, Greegsy and Marsh have filled for the past 15 years.”
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