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| David Marshall during a Scotland National team training session at the Oriam, on June 06, 2022, in Edinburgh, Scotland. |
Serbia hero David
Marshall has announced his retirement from the Scotland Men’s National Team to
allow the next generation of goalkeepers to gain vital international
experience.
The Hibernian
goalkeeper has taken the decision following Scotland’s elimination from the
FIFA World Cup play offs in the semi final against Ukraine on Wednesday, and
ahead of the UEFA Nations League campaign which begins against Armenia at
Hampden Park tomorrow.
David’s legendary
status among Scotland fans was secured with the iconic penalty save from
Alexander Mitrovic in the UEFA Nations League play off shootout against Serbia
in Belgrade that took the Scotland men’s team to EURO 2020 – their first major
tournament in over two decades.
He retires with 47
caps, his first coming 18 years ago in a friendly against Hungary and his final
appearance occurring in the final EURO 2020 Group D match, against Croatia.
Craig Gordon, Liam
Kelly and Zander Clark will make up the goalkeeping contingent for tomorrow.
“I have thought
long and hard about it since the disappointment of losing to Ukraine,” he said.
“I love playing for my country and the experience of helping the team to a
major tournament has been the highlight of my career.“I have memories of
playing for Scotland that will last a lifetime but I also know what it is like
as a young goalkeeper to have the opportunity. That was the overriding factor
in my decision: Liam and Zander have been involved in recent squads for a while
now and it is important that they can benefit from the experience of supporting
Craig as No.1.“The more I thought
about it since the weekend, the more I was convinced it was the right thing to
do before we start the Nations League campaign.“My team-mates, the
coaching staff and the backroom team all know how much I think of them, and I
wish them all the best of luck for the coming games and in the campaigns ahead.“It has been an
honour and a privilege to represent my country and to play in front of our
amazing fans as often as I did. There are simply too many people to thank for
helping me on my journey, not least my long-time goalkeeping coaches, Jim
Stewart and Stevie Woods. I am especially grateful to Steve Clarke for the
faith he and his coaching staff have shown in me since he took over three years
ago.”
David joined his
team mates for a final training session today before saying his goodbyes with
the head coach lauding a model and enduring professional.
“Bringing David
back in was one of my first decisions when I took the Scotland job and it was
an easy one. He quickly re-established himself in the team, playing a
significant part in our qualification for the EUROS, not just with that
memorable penalty save but by being a reliable and reassuring presence in goal.“We have been
blessed as a nation to have had three top-class goalkeepers compete with each
other in the same era in Craig, David and Allan McGregor. That’s two of the
three now retired but Craig is determined to carry on for as long as he is able
to. I respect David’s decision, even though I know he still has much to
contribute as a goalkeeper at club level.”
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