Anthony Ralston has so far been superb in his first start for Steve Clarke’s Scotland side this evening against Armenia in the UEFA Nations League match at Hampden. Many Celtic supporters were urging the Scotland manager to start with Ralston last midweek against Ukraine in the World Cup play-off semi-final but that was not to be.
Instead Ralston got the nod this evening and within the first few minutes the Celtic right-back cleverly cut the back for Stuart Armstrong but his shot clipped the post. Ralston has been a constant thorn in the side of the Hampden visitors and he took a sore one with a head knock minutes before getting on the end of an Armstrong cross to guide his header past the Armenian keeper to find the far corer of the goal at the Celtic end at Hampden.
💪 What a moment in front of the Hampden Park crowd for Anthony Ralston.#SCOARM pic.twitter.com/DoDbTZ3oeU
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 8, 2022
Here’s the Anthony Ralston goal that gave Scotland the lead.
💪 A first Scotland goal on his first Scotland start for @anthonyralston8 #SCOARMpic.twitter.com/bRl89w3mv6
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 8, 2022
Former Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna, now playing for Nottingham Forest, added a second just before the interval to double the Scotland lead, with the VAR check having been completed. A goal review just before the half-time whistle denied McKenna a second.
At the break it’s Scotland 2 Armenia 0 – oh and Callum McGregor was booked for a shirt pull.
What a moment for Anthony Ralston, scoring his first goal on his first start for Scotland 🏴
Tops off a superb season and an incredible 12 months for the right-back. Brilliant to see the turnaround from the academy graduate 👏 pic.twitter.com/miPZ4OHZIA
— Lewis Laird (@LewisLaird01) June 8, 2022
Tony Ralston ⚽️🏴 pic.twitter.com/pWB3pcR6nO
— Celtic Curio (@Celticcurio) June 8, 2022
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Whoever told Steve Clarke tgat he was not to play Ralston against Ukraine is probably responsible for Scotland not reaching Qatar.
The archaeic anti-Celtic mentality within the SFA has been holding back the progress of young Celtic minded players in Scotland for years and years!
On form alone, Tony Ralston should have been the first name on the sheet to play Ukraine!
It saddens us to see the ongoing demise of the Scottish game as being secondary to the SFA, just as long as Celtic men are passed over for caps. The fact they are the obvious choice is ignored today just as it was in the days of Bobby Murdoch, Bertie Auld, John Clark, Jim Craig, Billy McNeill, and the greatest Scottish born player in history, Jimmy Johnstone.
The very small number of caps received by these players, each in the top three in world football in their respective positions at their peak, is an embarrassing statistic for the SFA!
But it’s okay, they were only Celtic men, eh?
As for Steve Clarke, he clearly lacks cojones by allowing the SFA to dictate who plays and who doesn’t!
Out of the World Cup yet again and this is the real reason!