Former Scotland striker, Alan McInally, has been having his say as England and his country get set to clash in their second Group D game of Euro 2020. And the onetime Bayern Munich striker who played eight times for his country doesn’t give the Three Lions any chance winning European Championship title this time, nor getting a result tonight.
In an exclusive interview with Bookmakers.co.uk, McInally – now a Soccer Saturday and Sky Sports Pundit, has thrown out the bait to
English football fans and players alike, ahead of tonight’s clash
between England and Scotland, claiming there is a “brooding superiority” and “arrogance”about English football that has made the Three Lions so un-likeable throughout the years.
McInally also sent a message to the travelling Tartan Army saying: “I hope everybody behaves… I just hope they have a good time… I don’t want to see any rioting; I don’t want to see anymental-ness.”
Other notable points made by McInally in the interview with Bookmakers.co.uk include: Scotland coach
Steve Clarke won’t need to give a big team talk at Wembley. The Scotland players know exactly how big this game and rivalry is:.
“We know how to get under the skin of all the players, any players that
are picked against us,” McInally said.
“Mings, Trippier at left-back and an unfit Maguire could be chinks
in England’s armour which Scotland could exploit.
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Clarke made a mistake playing Lyndon Dykes against Czech Republic. Che Adams, Nisbet and a 70% fit Tierney must start against England.”
Why the English are so un-likeable
England’s traditional arrogance and superiority complex gets
people’s backs up – they’ve not won anything since 1966.
McInally calls out England saying: “ You’re not going to win” the Euros.
“It’s that brooding superiority… maybe there’s a kind of arrogance about the English team and has been over the last few
years.
“This English team, I think, has a better, youth culture between
the lads. I think there is a very, very good blend, and a good mix.”
“Look, there are some wonderful young football players, and maybe
it’s because, there is so much expected of England, that everybody
else is like: ok, here we go again – You are going to win the World
Cup, you are going to win the Euros. You won nothing, and haven’t
since 1966. So, maybe that gets up the back of everybody.
“I am happy to do that. No problem. No problem at all. Cause you
are not going to win it anyway.”
Message to the Travelling Tartan Army (Scotland supporters)…
“Well, I just, I hope everybody behaves… I just hope they have a
good time. I mean, just everybody have a good time. I don’t want to
see any rioting; I don’t want to see any mental-ness. You know there’s
going to be some looney at Trafalgar Square and all of that. I just
hope it goes without any real incident, you know.
“Scotland is an underdog, fair enough, that’s ok. You know there
is going to be a couple of beers drank, and a couple of whiskeys
drank, etc., etc. I just hope everybody behaves themselves and take it
easy.”
Who should start for Scotland against England?
Clarke made mistake starting Lyndon Dykes instead of Che Adams.
Che Adams and – a 70% fit Kieran Tierney – must start against England.
“As much as Stevie Clarke has done the most fantastic job with
this group of players, and he has made us more difficult to beat and
that’s why we’re in the tournament right now, I think he made a
mistake by playing Lyndon Dykes. As much as he’s a physical presence,
Che Adams would have been pretty unhappy considering he played the
majority of the Premier League season for Southampton and didn’t get a start.
“I’ll tell you right now that Che Adams will start… Che Adams must start, because he is a good physical presence but he has a bit more quality at the top end. And I think that would make England defenders just worry a little bit more, because they’ve already played against him.
“I don’t think he’ll play Ryan Christie because I thought the game passed him really quickly. He got taken off after 45 minutes, it just didn’t work. But I do hope he plays Kevin Nisbet.
“If (Kieran) Tierney is 70 per cent fit he’s got to play. It upset our equilibrium (Tierney missing Czech defeat) and it gave Andy Robertson just too much to do on his own down the left-hand side, as good as he really was.”
“Play (Grant) Hanley, because he’s a defender who’ll kick it the way he’s facing and will win headers, I’m happy with that. (Jack) Hendry will probably keep his place, so it has to be Tierney, Hanley and Hendry for me.”
Potential England Weaknesses
Trippier at left back and un-fit Maguire could be chinks in
England’s armour.
Tierney and Robertson could cause problems down England’s right-hand side.
McInally said: “You’ve got to think that if he (Gareth Southgate) plays Kieran Trippier at left full-back, then he’s a right-footed player normally,
and that might help us when he has the ball. He’ll probably turn
inside a lot of times and we can stifle that.
“We have to get O’Donnell getting down the right-hand side at
whoever plays full-back, which may be (Luke) Shaw and may be (Ben)
Chilwell. We have to get Robertson pushing either Trippier or (Kyle)
Walker or whoever plays on that right-hand side.
“We can’t be worried too much about England. The lads have all played against each other, the majority of them anyway.
“But in terms of real places Scotland can hurt England, it would be the back four. Put as much pressure as you can on that back four,
on Tyrone Mings for sure.
“I think if Harry Maguire says he’s fit, he might play Maguire, rather than keep what they’ve got right now with Stones and Mings.
“That’ll be something for us, where we can maybe think, ‘Well, hang on, he’s playing Maguire, who hasn’t played for two or three months.”
Motivating Scots for England Game
Clarke won’t need to make a rallying cry – the players know how
much this means to the country.
“This is the only time that Stevie Clarke will not need to speak
for too long in terms of his team talk. You don’t need to,” McInally added.
“Everybody needs to know their job, everybody needs to know who
they’re picking up at free-kicks, everybody needs to know their
position for free-kicks and corners.
“We know who takes the pens and we know how to get under the skin
of all the players, any players that are picked against us.
“Stevie Clarke will just be reiterating that to the players. He doesn’t need a big, long speech to the lads about what he expects playing England, he doesn’t need to do that, the lads know.”
