From Craig Swan in Poznan
MICHAEL McGLINCHEY says Scotland can lift the Under-19 European Championship trophy due to a bizarre set of rituals followed by Archie Gemmill, their manager.
The Celtic youngster is set to be handed a crucial midfield role in tonight?s showpiece final in Poznan against Spain as the young Scots attempt to produce a surprise victory.
McGlinchey believes they can, but he insists it will need more than the strange antics of his manager to bring the trophy back to Scotland.
Gemmill?s players have been the most superstitious bunch in Poland over the past fortnight and McGlinchey admits he?s seen some strange sights during the tournament.
?I?d like to try to some things different now and again, but it?s a very superstitious group,? he said. ?For instance, I don?t think the manager has even taken the price label off his cap since we started winning. And we?ve all had to sit in the same seats in the same Italian restaurant before matches ? and most of the boys have eaten the same thing, too. Not me, though.
?The manager is definitely the worst. He even makes us sit in the same seats on the team coach on the way to games. John Watson, the physio, took his hat off after we scored against Turkey [in a group game] and was told to get it back on right away because we scored when he was wearing it. It?s unbelievable, but it?s worked all the way to the final, so, hopefully, it?ll work again.?
Despite the goings-on, McGlinchey is now finally beginning to accept the achievements of Gemmill?s team during their outstanding run to the final. ?Everybody is over the moon,? he said. ?It?s sinking in a little bit now as we have started to prepare for the final, but, initially, after the semi-final [against the Czech Republic], we just couldn?t get our heads around it.
?It definitely took some time to sink in. As soon as we came off the park after the Czech game, we weren?t really thinking that we?d won a semi-final and reached a European Championship final. Spain are a fantastic team, but we?ll just have to go out and give a right good go. We can definitely feel the big game build-up.
?When we came here, our first aim was to get the World Cup spot. Now we have got through to the final and I understand it is really taking off back in Scotland. A few of the boys were talking about it on Thursday night and we reckon that, if we win this, it would top everything else we?ve ever achieved.?
McGlinchey was left out of the 4-0 defeat in the group game against Spain, but wants to play an influential starting role this time around. ?When we played them the last time, we had a left-back playing on the left wing because we thought, maybe, putting more defenders on would work,? he said. ?But Spain are a fantastic team and they are going to create chances anyway, so I think we have to play our own game.
?If we get chances, we have strikers who can put the ball in the net, so I think we should just go for it. I hope I?ve proved I?m good enough to start having been left out of the starting line-up against Spain last week.?
Calum Elliot, who scored the winner in the semi-final, believes he is now firing on all cylinders after overcoming a hamstring injury.
?I feel fit and as sharp as I have done for a little while,? he said. ?The goal against the Czechs has done my confidence the world of good. Everyone in the camp is looking forward to the game. I?ve dreamt about winning and scoring, but if I don?t score and we win, that?ll do for me.?
Elliot, who is likely to start as a lone striker, could return with a winner?s medal to go straight into the Heart of Midlothian side for their Champions League tie against NK Siroki Brijeg on Wednesday.
But, at this stage, the youngster admits life in Gorgie is a long way from his thoughts. ?I?m not really concentrating on Hearts at the moment, but, if I go back into the Champions League game next week, that would be great.
?This is a bigger match for me, though, than that one. A winner?s medal would be a great way to start the SPL season.?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 16,00.html
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