I’M A ONE-MAN TARTAN ARMY!
Craig needs Scots in finals so he can take the supporters’ bus
“Part of me was wishing that I was a punter”
DON’T get him wrong, he loved riding in the best seat on the team bus, puttering through France on his way to career-highlight moments in Paris, Bordeaux and... aye well, let’s not dwell on events in St Etienne.
As much as Craig Brown enjoyed his time in charge of a Scotland team at a tournament of global importance, he can’t help but feel that he missed out on something almost as pleasurable. Namely, following the team to a World Cup or European Championships as a supporter. Or, as he almost described it yesterday, as a free man.
Brown, desperate to lose the honour of being the last man to lead our wee nation to a major finals appearance, feels Gordon Strachan’s boys have a great chance of reaching Euro 2016.
If and when Scotland and the Tartan Army return to the scene of so many happy memories from France ’98, he intends to be right there roaring them on.
‘When we were on the team bus, aye, there was a part of me wishing I was a punter,’ said Brown.
‘You see, when you’re with the team, you’re in prison. It’s an opulent prison, though, and you let the prisoners out for a walk every now and again — as long as they clock back in on time!’
Of course, not every Scotland player has always obeyed the terms of their parole, with Mo Johnston f amously caught on camera appearing to indulge in a night of champagne and pleasant company at Italia ’90. Reminded of that particular incident, when he was assistant to Andy Roxburgh, Brown said with a grin: ‘That was the afternoon when that was done.
‘It’s no’ a real drink when it’s the afternoon!
‘Andy Roxburgh knocked on my door in the middle of the night and said: “We’re all over the front pages of the papers.” I said: “How can we be? They were all in on time. They all made curfew.”
‘ He says: “Never mind that, there’s a photo of Mo with some champagne and a couple of birds!” I was thinking: “Why didn’t Mo tell me?”
‘When you analysed it, he’d gone for a walk down the street, the fans invited him into this cafe and took a photo. When you’ve got photographic evidence, well…
‘I’m just glad we didn’t have the mobile phones back then, with the — what do you call them? — selfies.
‘Of course I’d love to lose the tag of being the last manager to take us to a finals. For one basic reason — I’d love to go to a finals with an interest as a fan, I want to go and support Scotland.
‘It would be great to go back to France because the fans enjoyed it so much. Yes, there’s the glamour of Brazil and South America but, if you’re talking about Europe, France is the place to go in terms of the weather, the proximity to Scotland and also the fact it’s a good football nation.’
Brown is confident, although instinctively cautious. And he believes that tomorrow night’s clash with the Republic of Ireland at Celtic Park — a venue he enjoyed as Scotland manager, with both Austria and Latvia seen off there en route to France 16 summers ago — will be key.
‘ Statistically, with 23 places available, it should be easier — but the countries from the former Soviet Union, as well as places such as Lithuania and Latvia, are improving rapidly,’ he said. ‘ More countries will qualify but the others have got better.
‘Gordon’s right. This is our best chance to qualify because of the numbers. But we’re also in t he hardest group. England’s is a doddle in comparison.
‘I beli eve t he home games will be vital and I’m delighted with the way the fixtures have worked out.
‘The process is fairer now than in the past, when we had f i xtures meetings which could be unpleasant occasions at times — and I did four of them.
‘I’m pleased that our last two games — apart from the final one away to Gibraltar — are at home to our rivals, Germany and Poland, because that was something we always tried to arrange in the past.
‘Other managers wanted points on the board, but I’ve always maintained there’s nothing in sport worse than losing a lead. I’ve always felt it was better to be chasing, rather than at the top of the group and having lost a couple of games because then you’re suddenly faced with a game in Glasgow, thinking: “I’m not looking forward to that.”
‘ The Ireland game is our biggest at home since we played Italy seven years ago, or maybe si nce I was involved in t he two- legged play- off against England in 1999.
‘ Ticket sales confirm that. You just can’t get your hands on them.
‘Ireland, Martin O’Neill and Celtic Park. If you were writing a script for Roy of the Rovers, t hi s would make a great story. It’s fantastic.
‘ It could be one of the all-time classic i nternational matches.’
That it could. And the right result might just persuade Craig to look out his passport, his Bermuda shorts … maybe even a See-You-Jimmy wig, just for giggles. Keep him a place on the bus, somebody.
Craig Brown and Terry Venables will manage the Scotland versus England fans game on Tuesday November 18 — watch it live at www.vauxhallfootball.co.uk