Lennon Miller reveals Steve Clarke's Scotland words of encouragement and backs up Cieran Slicker

Daily Record

4 hours ago

Two debuts, two very different stories for Scotland's young guns in Friday's Hampden horror show against Iceland.
Two Scotland debutants making their international bows off the bench. Unfortunately, only one who will want to store it in the memory bank.
What was another proud milestone moment for Lennon Miller and his family sitting up in the South Stand was pure and simply a night to forget for poor Ciaran Slicker.
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And preferably as quickly as he can.
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Because the 22-year-old might just find himself launched straight back into Scotland action tomorrow night in Vaduz with Angus Gunn and Robby McCrorie both breaking down injured to add to a goalkeeping casualty list that already struck down Craig Gordon, Liam Kelly and Zander Clark.
That, of course, might be the best thing for Ipswich's third choice keeper who was thrown onto the international stage - as even Steve Clarke admitted - long before he was ready against Iceland.
Fingers were pointed at the 22-year-old for all three goals as the Tartan Army suffered another Friday night fright. Those accusatory digits then turned towards Clarke.
Questions were asked why the former Manchester City kid was anywhere near the squad when he has only ever played six games as a senior professional at Ipswich and on loan at Rochdale. Eleven if you throw in five City U21 games in the EFL Trophy.
The fact he's played more for Scotland U21s than all three of those clubs tells you everything you need to know about Slicker's inexperience.
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He has won 17 caps for Scott Gemmill's side in the last four years. And alongside him for the last handful of those was Miller, who himself climbed off the bench later on in Friday's demoralising defeat to the Ice men for his own top team debut.
Miller at least brought a little hope of brighter times to come with a tidy 26 minute display in the engine room.
But his heart went out to his 21s team mate who was suffering more than anyone in the loneliest place of all between the sticks.
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Perhaps more than anyone else in the squad Miller knows Slicker. And he insists he WILL bounce back from his Hampden hell.
Miller said: 'It's Cieran's first cap, obviously you don't want to concede three goals.
'Listen, there's experienced players in there who will get right behind him and who others like myself who have been with Cieran in a few camps now and who will support him.
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'He's a good goalkeeper, he's showed that all week in training. He just needs to get his head up.
'I've played with him three or four times. On Friday he made a few mistakes but that's the life of a goalie, you are going to make mistakes and they will be highlighted.
'He will bounce back. He has a brilliant mentality. All goalies need to have, to be honest. Cieran will be fine. He will be back stronger.
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'He's not gone out there and chucked three goals in. It's mistakes. These things happen as a player. It just gets noticed more as a goalie.
'I've had loads of those experiences. As a midfielder you get away with it a bit more. It's not as obvious as what Cieran's is. But he will be fine. He will bounce back.'
If Slicker is a senior football rookie then Miller - despite being four years younger - is a relative seasoned pro by comparison.
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With 76 first team games under his belt for Motherwell over the last three seasons, and a handful of those as captain in the last campaign, the midfielder is the hottest young property in Scottish football.
His 67th minute entrance into Friday night's friendly showed exactly why.
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As others toiled the teenager looked to get on the ball at every opportunity, found good positions and looked hungry - even picking up a booking for stopping an Iceland breakaway.
Slicker might have been left wondering where his international future goes from here, but there can be few doubts this was the start of a long and hopefully successful Scotland career for Miller.
He said: 'This is probably right up with the best things you can achieve as a player. Representing your country at the highest level. I've done that now, hopefully there's a few more.
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'It's obviously a very proud moment, not just for me but my family as well. They were in the stand.
'We know we have levels to get up to but we weren't at our best, that's fair to say.
'You want to be winning the game. We know we weren't good enough. But personally it's a proud moment.
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'That's my game, trying to get on the ball. No matter what the score is. No matter what the occasion is, I want to get on the ball and show what I can do.
'You try and build yourself into the game then when you've found your first few passes you can try and get a bit more adventurous. I had a few nice ones but also a few that's just about getting used to the level that got cut out.
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'The manager has said just to get on the ball and show what I can do. What I do at Motherwell, is why I'm here.'
Having done that Miller is now looking to get his first start under his belt against Liechtenstein tomorrow evening.
While other, more experienced, players are desperate to look out the flip flops, Miller only wants to pull on his boots. At every opportunity.
He said: 'That's the plan. You want to get your first cap then you want to get a second as quick as you can. That'll be the plan, to maybe get a wee start.
'Obviously you want to play no matter when you get called up. Last time was trying to take everything in and take that back to Motherwell to try and win another call-up and get here to make my debut.
'Thankfully I did that.'