Scotland talking tough

13 April 2012

The Scots were trailing 2-0 after primary school teacher John Petersen scored twice inside the first 12 minutes and Berti Vogts's team looked in complete disarray.

Crawford replaced Paul Dickov for the second half as Scotland salavaged a point with goals from Paul Lambert and Barry Ferguson.

Crawford said: "I wouldn't say there were riots in the changing room at half-time but there were a few upset people.

"I hope we can come back stronger. The boys won't want to go through that feeling again. It was hard to take. You feel sorry for yourself but you've got to go and try and do something about it.

"It was as low as I've felt in a match."

Vogts, who has a four-year £4 million contract, is already being warned that defeat in the next game against Iceland will cost him his job.

MICK McCARTHY has vowed to stick with the players who did the Republic of Ireland proud in the World Cup despite their 4-2 defeat in Russia.

The Euro 2004 qualifier ended in the worst result in the 68 games of McCarthy's six-year reign. It was the first time the Irish had conceded four goals in a game since a World Cup qualifier 17 years ago, when they lost 4-1 to Denmark. McCarthy said: "This is the first bad day we have had at the office for a long, long time."

He laughed off suggestions he might make changes for next month's qualifier at home to Switzerland and added: "The only time I'd be angry with the players is if we didn't compete, but that's not the case.

"I am not going to go screaming or shouting at lads who have been so consistent for so long. There is not going to be major surgery and to suggest that would be ridiculous."

Meanwhile, McCart hy believes the chasm which exists between Roy Keane and the team is "far beyond repair". The Irish could have done with Keane in the Lokomotiv Stadium but McCarthy said: "Roy has a hip injury so he would not have been able to play anyway. But he has said he is not going to play. That situation is not going to change."

WALES captain Gary Speed admits he now accepts his international future will be as a left-back. Speed celebrated his 33rd birthday over the weekend and has been part of the Welsh midfield for the vast majority of his 69 caps. But the Newcastle player featured on the left side of defence on Saturday in their 2-0 victory in Finland.

He said: "We have got such a talented group of midfielders, so I don't mind being utilised at left-back. I'll play anywhere."

NEW French manager Jacques Santini got the win he wanted in Cyprus thanks to a stunning shot by Arsenal's Sylvain Wiltord.

Ioannis Okkas gave Cyprus the lead but Djibril Cisse, of Auxerre, equalised just before half-time. Wiltord hit the winner from 20 yards.

Chelsea's Marcel Desailly admitted: "After what happened in the World Cup and then the draw in the friendly in Tunisia, we had to win."

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