Barrie undaunted by Scotland baptism of fire against Euro 2016 hosts France

[Bearman 9]

IT was about as challenging a Scotland debut as Barrie McKay could possibly have made.

 

He came on against a French team comprised of many the best players in Europe away from home in Metz in front of 25,000 of their supporters in their final warm-up match before hosting the Euro 2016 finals. Daunting much?

 

The national team performed poorly in demanding circumstances on Saturday night and slumped to a heavy 3-0 defeat in what was their final outing before their Russia 2018 qualifying campaign kicks off early next season.

 

Yet, McKay, who replaced James McArthur with six minutes remaining in the friendly in the Stade Saint-Symphorien, has been left unfazed and unscathed by the experience.

 

If anything, in fact, it has simply whetted his appetite for international football.

 

“I would love to play for my country again,” the Rangers winger said as he looked back on the match. “I have always said that, even if it is at under-21 level or first team level. I would just love to play.

 

“On a personal level, I could enjoy it. It was the first cap for my country at first team level. I came up through the youth system in Scotland, so to be able to make my first team debut was a proud moment for me.

 

“Unfortunately, the result wasn’t what we wanted. That would have made it an even more special occasion for myself.”

 

McKay added: “The manager just told me to go out and enjoy it and try to get involved as much as I could. That was it really. He just said to go on and enjoy the occasion.

 

“I think I did okay playing against one of the best teams, if not the best team, in Europe. It was always going to be hard to get a few touches on the ball, but I did do it.

 

“They are obviously a top quality side. They are where they are for a reason. They have world class players and it was always going to be difficult for ourselves.”

 

McKay has this season finally fulfilled the huge potential which he showed when he broke through into the Rangers first team as a teenager when they were in the Third Division during the 2012/13 campaign.

 

He was one the Ibrox club’s most consistent performers as they won the Ladbrokes Championship comfortably to finally clinch promotion to the top flight and landed the Petrofac Training Cup.

 

The highlight was undoubtedly his sensational extra-time goal and Man of the Match-winning display in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Old Firm rivals Celtic at Hampden in April.

 

There is no danger of the 21-year-old growing complacent, though, after witnessing the awesome performances of the likes of Oliver Giroud, N’Golo Kante, Dimitri Payet and Paul Pogba up close at the weekend.

 

Didier Deschamps’s charges showed why they are the favourites to win Euro 2016 with an assured showing which McKay could not help but be hugely impressed by.

 

“You can always improve,” he said. “I am sure the players we played against would say the same, would say they have still got a long way to go.

 

“Quite a few of them are still quite young, are my age or event younger than me. They have still got a long way to go in the game. They are definitely going in the right direction.”

 

“They have got that composure on the ball, they have got that patience that a lot of top European clubs and countries have got. Their physical stature, their confidence on the ball and their trust in each and every player was impressive.”

 

McKay, meanwhile, has thanked Steven Fletcher, James McArthur, John McGinn and Steven Naismith for helping him settle in to the Scotland squad during the past fortnight.

 

The Paisley-born player has previously been involved with the under-18, under-19 and under-21 set-ups – he has played for them on 11 occasions – but the friendly double header against Italy and France was the first time he had made the step up to senior level.

 

He was grateful to established internationalists like Fletcher, McArthur and Naismith as well as McGinn, the young Hibs midfielder who made his own Scotland debut in the friendly against Denmark in March, for ensuring that he felt a part of things.

 

“Quite a lot of the boys have helped me,” he said. “I obviously knew Naisy from when I was at Rangers. He has helped me a lot. But I would say Steven Fletcher has been a great help as well.

 

“When I broke my foot, I actually met him down in London. So I knew him from back then. He was down getting an operation on his ankle as well. My agent is quite good pals with him so he kind of got me in touch with him. He came in to see how I was.

 

“Then obviously I came away on this trip and became quite close with him. Fletch has definitely helped me a lot, him and James McArthur. They were rooming together, so they have definitely helped me a lot. John McGinn as well. I settled in nicely.”

 

McKay, who will head off for a well-earned and much needed holiday with his girlfriend later today, wasn’t on the park long enough on Saturday to really come to terms with international football. But it is certainly a major objective after featuring for Scotland against France. He said: “I will get some rest in, get back to pre-season and then go again.”

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/rangers/14537715.Rangers_winger_McKay_undaunted_by_Scotland_baptism_of_fire_against_Euro_2016_hosts_France/?

[Bluedell 5,346]

Giving him 6 minutes? What a joke.

[MacK1950 2,231]

As much as Barry is so pleased it still to me seems like a slap in the face as no doubt ginger nut with the green tinted eyes will dump both Barry and Lee when the manky mob players are available after him resting them.

[Yorkshire Bear 0]

Don't think Wallace was even on the bench both games.

[Bluedell 5,346]

Don't think Wallace was even on the bench both games.

 

I think he pulled out with an injury.

[der Berliner 3,254]

I gave up on Scotland managers in the days of Davie Cooper ...

[ian1964 10,419]

Giving him 6 minutes? What a joke.

 

Surprised he even got on!

[jhunter 0]

total waste of time

 

and 2 weeks that he should have resting ahead of the new season.

[craig 5,199]

Wallace had pulled out with injury.

 

I'm not sure how Strachan can dump McKay after Saturday - he actually came on with 8 minutes left plus injury time. I watched most of the game and, in all honesty, McKay was the ONLY bright spark for us. We were turgid and had no idea how to break France down. Naismith came on and was his usual nuisance value - and then when McKay came on we looked livelier - got a few touches and it was interesting that when he came on the French almost immediately doubled up on him as they knew he posed a threat.

 

He was direct, pacy, confident and aggressive. In fact, had Naismith not been a greedy bastard McKay may have scored on his debut - he played a very neat ball inside to Naismith, continued his run and was on the shoulder of the last man - had Naismith slid him in he was in on Lloris 1-on-1 as the defender wouldn't have had time to react.... Naismith ballooned it over the bar from 20 yards.

 

And, other than that, we created NOTHING. A training exercise for France and Lloris cant have had an easier game in years.

 

And the pink strip is honking.

[Frankie 8,153]

Just watched the SFA highlights and it seems to me, McKay created one of the two half-chances we had.

 

And, as Craig says, if Naismith had passed, he may well have been clean through on goal.