Craig Gordon admits he thought the prospect to go to a World Cup with Scotland had “passed him by”.
Steve Clarke’s facet certified for the event with an exhilarating 4-2 win over Denmark at Hampden final November – the primary Scottish crew to achieve the World Cup since 1998.
The 43-year-old Gordon made his worldwide debut in opposition to Trinidad and Tobago at Easter Street in 2004 however has missed chunks of his profession via damage – certainly, he was out of the sport for 2 years earlier than signing for Celtic in 2014 and missed lots of final season at Hearts with a shoulder damage.
Nevertheless, the goalkeeper and his Scotland team-mates are at their coaching base in Charlotte, North Carolina, getting ready for the opening recreation in opposition to Haiti in Foxborough on Saturday.
Gordon, who would be the oldest participant on the World Cup, mentioned: “Magnificent to be right here. After all of the years of making an attempt, not solely personally however as a rustic, to get right here, so delighted to be right here.
“It feels prefer it’s getting actual now and we’re the previous few days away from entering into the video games for actual.
“No doubt, I believed this chance had handed me by on multiple event.
“So to finally be here to be part of something this big, to finally see it, it’s a huge moment for any player in their career.
“And particularly for me, for the various years I have been making an attempt to get right here, to lastly be right here on the sting of the event beginning correctly, it is a implausible feeling.
“I also feel that the team’s ready and we’re looking forward to that first match.”
Gordon made simply three league appearances this season as Hearts’ title problem in the end got here up simply brief on the ultimate day.
“It’s been a tough year and there’s just been a lot of things to contend with,” Gordon added.
“I made a few comebacks in my career and this was another one I wanted to make.
“I needed to present it all the things I presumably may to make it right here. Particularly after that night time in opposition to Denmark, the sentiments that everyone had.
“So to be part of this squad again was something that was a huge driving factor to get me through that and to give myself the opportunity to get here and be part of the squad.”
Will Gordon or Angus Gunn begin in opposition to Haiti?
Angus Gunn was handed the primary jersey and performed the entire 90 minutes within the 4-0 win in opposition to Bolivia in New Jersey on Saturday however Gordon believes a beginning place in opposition to Haiti on the weekend continues to be up for grabs, with video games in opposition to Morocco and Brazil to observe.
The previous Sunderland keeper mentioned: “There’s no indications whatsoever, that’s nothing new.
“We have just a few days left of coaching to try to impress and present that we are the one to take that place, that goes for all of us and I am no completely different.
“So, train as well as I possibly can over the next few days and see who the manager picks.”
