OVERTAKING his father Bryan’s haul of international caps has been the furthest thing from Angus Gunn’s mind this week as he has prepared for Scotland’s rematch with Spain in Seville.
“I’d forgotten about it,” said Gunn, who will make his seventh appearance for his country in the Euro 2024 qualifier in La Catuja on Thursday night.
“I remembered the England appearance last month equalled it. But I’d forgotten I could now go ahead of my dad to be honest. I was just concentrating on the game.”
Gunn will need that laser focus when the Group A game against Luis de la Fuentes’ resurgent side gets underway here on Thursday evening.
The hosts will be hell bent on exacting revenge for the 2-0 defeat they suffered at the hands of their opponents at Hampden back in March and taking a signiciant step closer to a place in the finals in Germany next summer.
Seville is a notoriously difficult place for visiting international sides to play and Steve Clarke’s players, not least their goalkeeper, will need to show great mental strength to deal with the flak which rains down on them from the stands and perform at their best.
Yet, Gunn, who has kept four clean sheets in five qualifiers and has still to concede a goal from open play during this campaign, is unfazed by the considerable challenge which lies ahead and is confident that Scotland, who only need a point to get across the line, can record another famous result for their supporters to cheer.
“No top team likes losing,” he said. “They never really take it well. But I felt that we deserved it on the night. We played really well, caused them problems on the counter attack and maybe had a few other chances as well.
“I never really felt that I had much to do for a game against that calibre of opposition. It’s definitely going to be a different game, a different sort of test on Thursday. But we are ready and we are looking forward to it.
“We all have confidence in ourselves, in the group and in the staff. Obviously, the game plan we set out we believe in it, and we have an unbelievable record in the group so far. That all builds up and gives us confidence to go to places like Spain and think we can beat them.”
Spain players Rodri and David Garcia made derogatory remarks about Scotland at Hampden following the reverse - but Gunn is only concerned with doing his talking on the park this week.
“I probably found their comments more funny than anything else,” he said. “We beat them and, as far as I’m concerned, that was our job done. If they want to come out and say stuff like that’s up to them.
“We’ve just got to focus on ourselves, be professional and try not to get caught up in any stuff like that because, if we start thinking about stuff like that, that’s when things go wrong. It’s important to be professional, do our job and hopefully have a smile on our face after the game again.”
Gunn, who played for his native England at youth level and only switched his allegiances to the land of his father’s birth earlier this year after being approached by Clarke, is relatively inexperienced at international level.
However, the Norwich City man is, after spending eight seasons plying his trade in the Premier League and Championship down south certain he can cope with the hostile reception that Scotland will get from the home supporters in Spain.
He has, after all, played at The Den on enough occasions.
Asked what the most difficult venue he had played at before was, he said: “Maybe Millwall. But those games are the most enjoyable ones, particularly if you get a result. If you go to places like that and win in those sorts of atmospheres, they probably mean more.
“It will probably be a partisan environment, but it is our job to quieten them down by scoring a few goals and not let them score any.”
Gunn will certainly know exactly what expletives are being aimed in his direction by the home supporters behind his goals.
“I have been starting to learn Spanish back at my club,” he said. “So I will probably understand a few of the words being thrown about! But I do enjoy it. I prefer it to be honest. I always like playing away and having a little bit of grit between your teeth and getting all the abuse.
The 27-year-old is well aware what the if he consequences will be if he produces another shutout - a place at the Euro 2024 finals – and that is very much his objective.
“I’ve thought about that,” he said. “That is our target. If we can do that on Thursday night that will be amazing. The most important thing is that we do get through, no matter how it is. But I’m looking forward to going out there and hopefully getting a clean sheet.”
Gunn, who has trained with the senior England squad in the past, has not had any cause to regret his decision to represent Scotland in the past seven months and did not experience any divided loyalties when they played his homeland in the 150th Anniversary Heritage Match last month.
That game against Gareth Southgate’s side ended in an agonising 3-1 defeat – but the goalkeeper feels the experience could prove to be invaluable against De La Fuentes’ charges.
“There were no problems whatsoever playing England,” he said. “The biggest disappointment on the night was losing the game. Obviously, they are a top team. But I really thought we could give them a good game. I think they turned up on the night.
“Still, we showed signs that we can definitely compete with that level and now going into even tougher games against Spain and France hopefully we can reach that level.”
“I think there will be a lot of things from that game that we will probably have to deal with again out in Spain. Before every game in the group so far we have looked at the opposition and the manager has come up with a game plan. So far we have executed them all really well. Hopefully we can do the same on Thursday.”
He will have something that he can gloat about after the game regardless of the outcome.
“It will be nice to have that little one over my dad,” he said. “I’m not that kind of guy who would mention it. But if he annoys me I might bring it up!”
