Steve Clarke’s Scotland players had just survived 30 minutes of extra time in Belgrade on Thursday evening. They did so carrying the bitter disappointment of conceding a stoppage time equaliser against Serbia and the manager and his squad had a few moments to prepare for the penalty shoot-out that would determine whether it would be Scotland or Serbia who would be going to the Euros next summer.

The Scotland manager gathered his squad, including all the backroom staff and the unused substitutes together into a big collective huddle and spoke to them about the shoot-out, which they would have prepared for in advance. Indeed Scotland qualified for this play-off via scoring all five shoot-out penalties against Israel at Hampden in the semi-final.

Everyone joined the huddle to listen to the manager who was on the verge of leading our nation to the first major finals since the World Cup, France 1998. Well that isn’t exactly true. One player, indeed one of Clarke’s penalty takers refused to bend over to join a national team Huddle, instead he stood up straight, staunch and bitter all on his own.

This bitterness comes form the team that he supports, the one that’s defined by a hatred of Celtic, whose supporters could find no joy in Scotland winning that shoot out on Thursday night. This Scotland player simply refused to join a Huddle – even a Scotland one – even at this critical moment for the National Side (see below) – because it’s a symbol with an association to CELTIC. Rent free and all that. He’s  some player though!!!

A few comments on this tread worth reporting: “I was going to comment but enough said already.. what a waste of a Scotland shirt.”

“What a poisoned, jaundiced little mind McBurnie must have. If he was a teammate of mine, regardless who anyone supports, I’d go through him for a shortcut. Sowing dissension in the ranks of the team in their biggest moment in 20-30 years. It’s incredible.”

“He’s the only negative in this squad, the only thing worse than his attitude is his ability.”

“That is pathetic for a guy who shouldn’t even be in national team to being with just adds to the fact he shouldn’t.”

“What does he bring to the squad, 13 games, I’ve still to see what he brings. Lazy and wasteful on and off the ball. Never a 20 mil player. Come on now stop it.”

SAVING THE SFA’S BACON

Incidentally the penalty shoot-out success has just about saved the SFA’s bacon. The BBC’s Chris McLaughlin has reported on the figures this morning: “Euro2020 qualification puts a smile on Scottish football’s face in more ways than one. SFA will get €9.25 million participation fee, plus €1.5 million for a win and €750,000 for a draw. Right at a time where the governing body is in a consultation period over redundancies.”

WILL YOU EVER LEARN GRIFF?

On Leigh Griffiths and the fake-outrage from the easily offended…a) surely he has learnt his lesson by now? Cancel all social media accounts until it’s time to hang up your boots then tweet away,  Leigh. ..b) while there was clearly no intended reference to the tragic loss for the Lafferty family, why even think about Northern Ireland losing on a night when you get back into the Scotland set-up for the first time in two years, score one of the penalties that takes the country through to the Finals then get involved in this fiasco with the non-celebrating, raging mob who were all presumably watching the game in Belfast rather than the one in Belgrade? Will you ever learn Griff? It certainly doesn’t look like it.

Here’s his Instagram message after this all kicked off. “Not that I should have to, but after what I’m seeing on social media I feel I need to.

“After last night’s win, I want to state that I was not slagging Kyle Lafferty for losing a family member, that is the lowest of the low and not the type of person I am. The picture was in a Northern Ireland strip and the fact they didn’t qualify and we did, which has been a huge achievement for the entire nation.

“Everyone gets carried away and people think I liked it because his sister died, absolutely not.

“We won, they didn’t, we’ve been mocked for years about failure, but we did it.

“I want to APOLOGISE unreservedly for any MISUNDERSTANDING there has been towards Kyle and his family.

“I don’t deserve what I’ve been sent. but I’ve had enough and something needed to be said on the matter.” So Griffiths gets our vote as the stupidest man in Belgrade on Thursday night. You should try to be remembered for what Celtic were tweeting about yesterday and not your social media activity.

Rest in Peace Sonia.