Snubbing the possibility to play in a World Cup would possibly come straightforward to somebody who may boast three consecutive journeys to soccer’s best present on earth by the point he was 33.
However Craig Gordon has waited a lifetime for a possibility to participate simply as soon as.
And some months wanting his fortieth birthday there’s no approach the goalkeeper goes to pay any consideration to Graeme Souness.
Not when the previous Scotland captain - a veteran of Argentina 78, Spain 82 and Mexico 86 - says backing Ukraine to beat Scotland tonight and go on to succeed in the World Cup is the best factor to do.
Souness reckons a win for Oleksandr Petrakov’s facet at Hampden would ship a message of defiance to the war-torn nation’s aggressors in Russia.
The 54-times capped heart-on-sleeve skipper, turned coat this week and admitted he doesn’t know the place his feelings could be if he was on the park at Hampden this night.
However Gordon, who will win his 67th cap, has no such drawback.
Not that he doesn’t have the best sympathy for the horrendous plight of tonight’s opponents. That goes with out saying.
However in footballing phrases there’s a job to be executed.
Responding to Souness’ remarks, Gordon mentioned: “It doesn’t actually matter, he’s entitled to his opinion.
“I do know the fellows that exit on the pitch, the squad right here, would desperately like to get to a World Cup.
“It’s possibly a bit completely different - he’s not enjoying now.
“For us gamers, these alternatives don’t come round fairly often.
"We desperately wish to make this our time. We've got a really tough match to win simply to get by to the subsequent stage.
“In order that’s all we're concentrating on. We wish to go and attempt to win that and whoever anyone needs to assist, that’s fully as much as them.
“At 39, you don’t know if there will probably be one other one. It’s an enormous alternative however it’s nonetheless a really tough recreation.
“We've got a really motivated Ukraine group to try to beat and if we handle to do this we've got nonetheless acquired to go to Wales and win.
“You simply have to focus on the soccer, that’s what we’re skilled to do. We will’t even think about what’s happening. We've got no clue actually.
“We will’t perceive precisely what all these gamers are going by, what every particular person’s circumstances are. What we've got to do is focus on soccer, be prepared and ensure we're as ready as we might be to attempt to win the match.
"No matter is occurring outdoors, no matter anybody thinks, it doesn’t filter by to the gamers."
Gordon is the only survivor from the beginning XI who final confronted Ukraine in a 3-1 European Championship qualifying win at Hampden again in 2007.
Alex McLeish’s facet received plaudits for a qualifying marketing campaign that noticed France crushed dwelling and away and solely finish with a final gasp defeat to Italy within the ultimate group recreation.
That was a facet stuffed with grit, midfield craft, and the magic of James McFadden.
However veteran keeper Gordon reckons the present crop of Scots is the most effective he’s had the privilege of enjoying behind.
He mentioned: “Yeah, I believe we’re fairly good.
“It’s onerous to evaluate between completely different eras, soccer has developed as properly. However actually for the time being, I do really feel as if we've got the gamers which can be able to scoring objectives, of wounding groups.
“We’re absolutely assured that if we get all the pieces proper and we play to the most effective of our skills, that we are able to win.
“These alternatives don’t come alongside too typically. I used to be fortunate sufficient to be concerned within the squad that acquired to the Euros and that is the subsequent one.
“There’s not been too a lot of a lot of these video games with Scotland in my time, and that’s been lengthy! We've got to be able to take benefit.”
Clarke’s squad are eight video games unbeaten going into tonight’s must-win semi-final with Wales mendacity in await the winner in Sunday’s ultimate.
Six straight qualifying victories cemented second place behind Denmark and culminated in an exhilarating 2-0 victory over the Danes at Hampden again in November.
Gordon reckons that efficiency proved this facet is able to producing ranges that belong on the largest stage.
He mentioned: “That’s what we’ve been working in the direction of. We wish to do this extra typically.
“It’s not all the time straightforward at worldwide degree to have the ability to play in that approach, however that’s what we've got been making an attempt to do.
“We do have technical gamers which can be able to dealing with the ball, and if we are able to get them in house and on the ball then the possibilities are they will damage groups.
“That was an excellent efficiency that night time. Hopefully if we are able to recreate that, and that depth, then we’ll give ourselves an excellent likelihood.”
Fired-up by an electrical Hampden crowd, the place hopefully anybody who shares Souness’ views are sat among the many travelling assist, Clarke’s facet have each likelihood.
Gordon mentioned: “The atmospheres in the previous few video games at Hampden have been wonderful, among the finest I can bear in mind.
“If we are able to recreate that then we’ll positively give us a fair higher likelihood.”