Billy Gilmour has jetted into Boston to lend his support as Scotland prepare to return to the game’s biggest stage after 28 years.
The Napoli midfielder’s hopes of starring in the World Cup were cruelly dashed when he damaged his medial ligament in the Hampden farewell game against Curacao.
But, having processed what happened, he decided to go to the USA of his own volition on his 26th birthday to offer his backing to the players who’ll now carry the nation’s hopes on the shoulders.
‘Billy just landed,’ revealed fellow midfielder Kenny McLean. ‘He is going to come and see the lads tonight, which is amazing. It is his birthday as well so happy birthday Billy. I think he has turned 17, I’m not sure…
‘He is going to be here. He obviously wants to experience things around the lads, also around the city with fans, to soak in the atmosphere.
‘He obviously deserves so much more for what he has given, but there is going to be more opportunity. I mentioned that to the young lads there.
Kenny McLean was in a buoyant mood as he faced the media ahead of Sunday’s Haiti opener
‘I know it’s not what he wants to hear right now, but there will be. What an amazing talent, what an amazing young man and it will be good to see him later on.’
Scotland’s campaign gets under way in Foxborough, just outside Boston, when they face Haiti at 2am on Sunday morning, UK time.
Across eight World Cups and four European Championships, no side in dark blue has ever made it out of a group stage. McLean says there’s a steely determination in the current squad to rewrite the record books.
‘That is obviously our main goal over here,’ he added. ‘We want to make history, we want to do more.
‘There is more to come, I believe that and we believe that.
‘The preparations have been amazing, they could not have gone any better. And we’re here to maximise the opportunity that we have.’
Haiti haven’t been at the World Cup since their one and only appearance in 1974 and are the outsiders in Group C.
Billy Gilmour’s World Cup dream came crashing down after injury picked up against Curacao
With Morocco and Brazil to come, there’s a sense that the first match is akin to a cup final for Steve Clarke’s players.
Dismissing suggestions that there’s accordingly more pressure to deliver in the opener, McLean said: ‘Our World Cup starts on Saturday (in USA) and every game will be as big as each other. But this is the one that is approaching, the one in front of us and the one the focus is on right now.
‘There is a lot of expectation. We put a lot of expectation on ourselves going into every game and we want to go out there and win the game.
‘We have the squad, we have the players that can do that.’
McLean’s iconic goal against Denmark in November was the moment a generational wait for the Tartan Army to see Scotland back on this stage ended.
Asked if he’d swap all hype around that goal for a place in last 32, the Norwich man replied: ‘Yes. That moment wasn’t just about it me. That was about us getting here and now we are here, we want to do more. I would switch it in a minute.
‘People keep speaking about the goals at Hampden against Denmark, but we want to do so much more. That would be an even bigger dream.’
Aside from Gilmour’s absence, Clarke has selection headaches of all the right kind after a superb display in the 4-0 win over Bolivia in New Jersey.
‘We are fortunate that we have looked after ourselves as well as we could and we are as ready as we can be,’ McLean said.
‘Minutes were spread out over the couple of games (against Curacao and Bolivia) and I think everybody is in great shape.
‘The training has been amazing when it has to be, intense when it has to be and we cannot complain about the preparations at all.’
The only minor concern for the manager is the upset stomach which prevented Scott McTominay from training on Thursday.
Gilmour is consoled by Scotland captain Andy Robertson as he faces his worst nightmare
McLean and the rest of his Scotland team-mates go through their paces in training
‘Hopefully that doesn’t spread,’ McLean offered. ‘I am sure everybody has fingers crossed that he will be fine and I’m sure he will be.
‘Everybody knows what Scotty brings. It is quite apparent how big a player he is for us.
‘For all that it has been a team effort, and always will be a real team effort, we have special players at the core.
‘He is obviously desperate to play and his preparations have been amazing apart from maybe something he has eaten somewhere along the line.
‘But he is up on a mural for a reason. He is a true talent, a special player, an amazing guy and an amazing part of the team.
‘He is a big character around the place, but it is a team effort and I’m sure Scotty would be the first to say that.’
