Latest news with #TartanArmy
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Tartan Army fan who walked to Germany embarking on new challenge for the World Cup
He went viral for his last effort and even got a shout out from famous faces SUPER STRIDER Tartan Army fan who walked to Germany embarking on new challenge for the World Cup Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TARTAN Army superfan who walked to Germany for the Euros is embarking on another monumental challenge. Craig Ferguson, 21, went viral for his thousand-mile stride from Hampden Park to Munich for the national side's first game of the 2024 tournament. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Craig Ferguson is embarking on yet another challenge Credit: Tom Farmer 4 Craig will be on the march again Credit: PA 4 He will now be doing something ahead of the World Cup Credit: Tom Farmer He donned a specially made sports kilt as he trekked through six countries for mental health charity Brothers In Arms. Craig, from Paisley, is now setting out on yet another walking challenge - this time attempting to walk the length of Scotland, one year after his march to Munich. The football-daft lad wants to embark on the Scotland stride to celebrate next World Cup in North America. Craig said: 'Exactly one year on from my walk to Germany, I think it's time for a new challenge. 'With the World Cup fastly approaching next year and everyone hoping that Scotland qualifies, in the meantime, Im away for a little wander to keep myself busy.' He added: 'On June 14, I will start at the Mull of Galloway lighthouse, the most southerly point and make the near 400-mile journey to the most northerly point in mainland Scotland. 'I'll be walking the length of Scotland. 'As with last summer this will be raising vital funds and awareness for men's mental health and the charity of choice will again be Brothers In Arms.' Craig's first trek to Germany raised over £77,000 and he was made an official ambassador for the charity. He was even nominated for a FIFA Award for his monumental trek across Europe. Hero's welcome for inspirational Scotland fan who walked 1000 miles to Munich His trek to Germany was inspired by The Proclaimers hit song 500 miles. The young football fan gained so much attention that the musical duo even gave him a shout out. He received a hero's welcome after arriving in the German city, with Tartan Army fans gathering round to get him a well-deserved pint. Craig added: 'The journey will take me along iconic routes like the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way. I'll be passing some of Scotland's most famous landmarks, all leading to Dunnet Head — the northernmost point on the mainland.'
Times
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Goals and now beers, how Scott McTominay has won over Napoli fans
Napoli fans will toast their heroes Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour this week with discounted Scottish beer. The midfielders, already heroes for the Tartan Army, are gaining cult status in Italy's football-mad city. McTominay scored twice at the weekend to beat Torino and propel Napoli to the top of Serie A with four games to play. In a canny act of national marketing, Scottish food and drink stalls draped in Royal Stewart tartan will be set up in the heart of Naples. The Taste of Scotland Tour, a roving offering of goodies, has offered all Napoli season-ticket holders a beer for €2 (£1.70). The deal has gone viral among fans. According to a press release for the stall, the two Scots have 'conquered the hearts
The Herald Scotland
29-04-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Scott McTominay's team mate on reason for the Scot's rise at Napoli
Form which the Scotland internationalist's hapless opponents have not found to be amusing in the slightest and which may end up giving his Italian club the last laugh in what has been a remarkable season. Tartan Army footsoldiers have known for some that the former Manchester United midfielder is a clinical finisher in the final third of the park when the pressure is on - none of them will ever forget the seven goals he scored against Cyprus, Spain and Georgia during the national team's successful Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. However, the 60-times capped 28-year-old has, even by his own high standards, been impressive up front of late. A double in a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Empoli at home and a late winner in a tense 1-0 victory against Monza away ensured that Napoli moved level with Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table earlier this month. His first-half brace against Torino in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday proved to be the difference between the two sides at the end of the 90 minutes and ultimately sent the hosts three points clear at the top of the table with just four matches remaining. Read more: McTominay quickly justified the £25.7m transfer fee which it took to secure his services back in August and had soon endeared himself to fans who know - having watched, to name just a handful, Marek Hamsik, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ruud Krol, Maradona and Dino Zoff represent them over the years - a decent footballer when they see one. His popularity, though, has simply skyrocketed in Naples the past few weeks as Gli Azzurri have caught and then leapfrogged I Nerazzurri. The packed ground reverberated with repeated, heavily-accented chants of " Scott-Mac-Tom-In-Neeee! Scott-Mac-Tom-In-Neeee! Scott-Mac-Tom-In-Neeee!" on Sunday as the home supporters in the 51,144-strong sell-out crowd which was in attendance lost the plot. There were as many Napoli fans decked out in replica McTominay tops as there were in Lukaku, Buongiorno or Politano shirts. In fact, there were many more. There were, too, numerous saltires and Scotland shirts in the stands. He is the man of the moment, the hero of the hour, the darling of the support. (Image: Getty Images) Politano, the Italy winger who was a member of the side which lifted the Scudetto two years ago, believes that McTominay has a priceless trait which has enabled him to make such an impact as the Serie A title race has intensified. Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary Old Trafford manager who took a such a keen interest in his compatriot McTominay when he was coming through the United youth ranks, often claimed that timing a run into the penalty box was the most difficult skill in football, was an art which could not be taught. Well, McTominay has well and truly channelled his inner Norman Whiteside, something he has done on numerous occasions in a dark blue jersey, since moving to Italy eight months ago. He ghosted in to the opposition penalty box, caught the Torino defenders completely unawares and made sure he was in the perfect position at the perfect moment not once but twice on Sunday night. Read more: 'We saw that Inter had lost to Roma on Sunday afternoon and knew the importance of the match against Torino before it got underway, knew the three points were fundamental for us because they would bring us back to the top of the table,' said Politano. 'I am happy with the performance and with the assist which I provided for the second goal. 'Giovanni [Di Lorenzo] and Frank [Anguissa] and I have been playing together for years now and we know each other's games by heart, get along well, know the movements we will make. In the first half against Torino we pushed a lot on the right and managed to find the two goals which decided the match doing that. 'But Scott is a truly exceptional player. He has the most fantastic timing, has an amazing ability to come into the match just exactly when he is needed to do so. The results are there for everyone to see. He now has 11 goals in Serie A and 12 goals in total in all competitions. 'He has scored a lot this season. It is important when you have a striker like Romelu [Lukaku] who makes his presence felt for others to, like myself and the others wingers, to come and play more centrally and Scott has done that.' (Image: Getty Images) Antonio Conte, the Napoli manager, appears confident that, with an out-and-out winner like McTominay at his disposal, that has side can close out the Italian title in the coming weeks. 'We have been more at the top than any other team this season,' he said. 'It is not new that we manage the situation of being higher in the table. The games are becoming fewer and fewer, clearly any mistake that anyone makes will have consequences in a significant way. 'But let's enjoy it, let's enjoy this moment. Torino was perhaps the most beautiful victory because it comes with a focused team, a hungry attack and McTominay scores two more goals. The miracle could be close.' The win over Torino ensured that Napoli will finish in the top four in Serie A this season and qualify for the league phase of the Champions League once again. That is an achievement which could prove decisive in keeping McTominay in Italy. 'It is a very important milestone on an economic level for the club,' said Conte. Scott McTominay's second goal against Torino saw him hit a significant landmark – he overtook the number of Serie A goals which Scotland legend Denis Law plundered for Torino way back in the 1961/62 season. He looks more than capable of giving Napoli fans more goals to cheer and further reasons to smile in the matches against Lecce, Genoa, Parma and Cagliari in the coming weeks on the evidence of another exceptional personal display.
The National
29-04-2025
- Sport
- The National
Scott McTominay's team mate on reason for the Scot's rise at Napoli
It is also, it would seem, the reason why Scott McTominay has produced a spectacular run of goalscoring form which has left Napoli's supporters unable to wipe broad grins off of their faces. Form which the Scotland internationalist's hapless opponents have not found to be amusing in the slightest and which may end up giving his Italian club the last laugh in what has been a remarkable season. Tartan Army footsoldiers have known for some that the former Manchester United midfielder is a clinical finisher in the final third of the park when the pressure is on - none of them will ever forget the seven goals he scored against Cyprus, Spain and Georgia during the national team's successful Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. However, the 60-times capped 28-year-old has, even by his own high standards, been impressive up front of late. A double in a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Empoli at home and a late winner in a tense 1-0 victory against Monza away ensured that Napoli moved level with Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table earlier this month. His first-half brace against Torino in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday proved to be the difference between the two sides at the end of the 90 minutes and ultimately sent the hosts three points clear at the top of the table with just four matches remaining. Read more: McTominay quickly justified the £25.7m transfer fee which it took to secure his services back in August and had soon endeared himself to fans who know - having watched, to name just a handful, Marek Hamsik, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ruud Krol, Maradona and Dino Zoff represent them over the years - a decent footballer when they see one. His popularity, though, has simply skyrocketed in Naples the past few weeks as Gli Azzurri have caught and then leapfrogged I Nerazzurri. The packed ground reverberated with repeated, heavily-accented chants of " Scott-Mac-Tom-In-Neeee! Scott-Mac-Tom-In-Neeee! Scott-Mac-Tom-In-Neeee!" on Sunday as the home supporters in the 51,144-strong sell-out crowd which was in attendance lost the plot. There were as many Napoli fans decked out in replica McTominay tops as there were in Lukaku, Buongiorno or Politano shirts. In fact, there were many more. There were, too, numerous saltires and Scotland shirts in the stands. He is the man of the moment, the hero of the hour, the darling of the support. (Image: Getty Images) Politano, the Italy winger who was a member of the side which lifted the Scudetto two years ago, believes that McTominay has a priceless trait which has enabled him to make such an impact as the Serie A title race has intensified. Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary Old Trafford manager who took a such a keen interest in his compatriot McTominay when he was coming through the United youth ranks, often claimed that timing a run into the penalty box was the most difficult skill in football, was an art which could not be taught. Well, McTominay has well and truly channelled his inner Norman Whiteside, something he has done on numerous occasions in a dark blue jersey, since moving to Italy eight months ago. He ghosted in to the opposition penalty box, caught the Torino defenders completely unawares and made sure he was in the perfect position at the perfect moment not once but twice on Sunday night. Read more: 'We saw that Inter had lost to Roma on Sunday afternoon and knew the importance of the match against Torino before it got underway, knew the three points were fundamental for us because they would bring us back to the top of the table,' said Politano. 'I am happy with the performance and with the assist which I provided for the second goal. 'Giovanni [Di Lorenzo] and Frank [Anguissa] and I have been playing together for years now and we know each other's games by heart, get along well, know the movements we will make. In the first half against Torino we pushed a lot on the right and managed to find the two goals which decided the match doing that. 'But Scott is a truly exceptional player. He has the most fantastic timing, has an amazing ability to come into the match just exactly when he is needed to do so. The results are there for everyone to see. He now has 11 goals in Serie A and 12 goals in total in all competitions. 'He has scored a lot this season. It is important when you have a striker like Romelu [Lukaku] who makes his presence felt for others to, like myself and the others wingers, to come and play more centrally and Scott has done that.' (Image: Getty Images) Antonio Conte, the Napoli manager, appears confident that, with an out-and-out winner like McTominay at his disposal, that has side can close out the Italian title in the coming weeks. 'We have been more at the top than any other team this season,' he said. 'It is not new that we manage the situation of being higher in the table. The games are becoming fewer and fewer, clearly any mistake that anyone makes will have consequences in a significant way. 'But let's enjoy it, let's enjoy this moment. Torino was perhaps the most beautiful victory because it comes with a focused team, a hungry attack and McTominay scores two more goals. The miracle could be close.' The win over Torino ensured that Napoli will finish in the top four in Serie A this season and qualify for the league phase of the Champions League once again. That is an achievement which could prove decisive in keeping McTominay in Italy. 'It is a very important milestone on an economic level for the club,' said Conte. Scott McTominay's second goal against Torino saw him hit a significant landmark – he overtook the number of Serie A goals which Scotland legend Denis Law plundered for Torino way back in the 1961/62 season. He looks more than capable of giving Napoli fans more goals to cheer and further reasons to smile in the matches against Lecce, Genoa, Parma and Cagliari in the coming weeks on the evidence of another exceptional personal display.
The Guardian
24-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Steve Clarke's Scotland have served him well but their race may be run
That familiarity breeds contempt towards managers can be unfair. That certainly applies to Steve Clarke, who has raised levels with Scotland to the point where qualifying for tournaments has become reality as opposed to a pipe dream. Clarke has been the head coach to end years in the international wilderness. There is, however, a slightly ominous feel around the Scotland setup once more. Defeat by Greece – a rising force – can happen. What should not transpire is the comprehensive thumping dished out at Hampden Park on Sunday. Scotland looked utterly unprepared for what they faced. Theirs was a ragged, disjointed display. Clarke has made it pretty obvious he views the World Cup campaign as his last. Another shot at club management is in his thoughts. Having been in the role since 2019, that familiarity consequence has the Tartan Army glancing towards a fresh start. Clarke's employers have no excuse for not having a succession plan; in the absence of an available Scotland-based head coach of the calibre required to lead the national team, it is going to have to broaden horizons. Clarke's raising of the bar has consequences for his replacement. The Scottish Football Association is going to have to break with tradition and think big. The Greece debacle felt like a line in the sand. It was similar in that respect to Scotland's final game at Euro 2024, where the lack of attacking intent against Hungary angered supporters. Clarke had recovered from that night in Stuttgart courtesy of a strong finish to the Nations League. Greece at Hampden ate up a lot of that goodwill. If Scotland start World Cup qualifying poorly, the mood will quickly turn toxic. Clarke's reference to a lack of 'energy' and 'legs' in his team meant something went awry in the planning stage. A Thursday-Sunday two-leg tie is unusual, with the level of travel required inevitably affecting players. Scotland needed to get fine details right after an arduous 1-0 win in Piraeus. It was apparent at half-time of the second leg that Scotland desperately needed change. Clarke did not implement it; 15 seconds into the second period, Greece had put the tie out of reach. The head coach curiously refuses to deploy Ryan Christie in the midfield role in which he excels at Bournemouth. Lewis Ferguson earns rave reviews captaining Bologna but was left out of that midfield as Kenny McLean started. This is not to decry McLean, a fine servant for his country, but picking a Championship player ahead of someone tipped to move to one of Serie A's top clubs feels nonsensical. Grant Hanley, Clarke's go-to centre-back, had been a very late substitute in Birmingham's past three League One games. Yet he was relied upon to play 180 minutes against Greece. Anthony Ralston, the right-back, does not start regularly at Celtic. It would be wrong, however, to focus on Hanley and Ralston. Scotland needed so much more from supposed star turns. Andy Robertson was woeful in the second leg. Che Adams, the centre-forward, has a rather unfortunate habit of not looking remotely dangerous near to goal. John McGinn has flattered to deceive in Scotland colours for a while. Wild excitement over Billy Gilmour is undermined by the fact he is, aged 23, already at club No 3 in search of regular football. Gilmour is neat and tidy but too much of his play goes backwards or sideways. He also lacks the physicality to adequately screen a defence; a significant problem for Scotland given Christie, McGinn and Scott McTominay want to chase the game. Greece gleefully exposed how open Scotland became. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Clarke is in a stick-or-twist scenario. This team, who have generally served him so well, may have run their race. Whether he is of a mind to make changes, especially with his time in post apparently ticking down, is open to question. There is a lack of pace, which leads to overemphasis on Ben Doak. The 19-year-old will have a decent career; some in Scotland portray him as a tartan Messi. Clarke's ability to shake up personnel is undermined by a glaring lack of emerging talent. That much was true when Scotland were qualifying for back-to-back European Championships, it is just that nobody wanted to hear it. There was wild noise when the 18-year-olds James Wilson and Lennon Miller were selected for the Greece tie. Other countries would think nothing of such a move. Indeed, in the 17-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas, Greece had the most eye-catching player on display at Hampden. Scotland are in the shameful position of not having a goalkeeper deemed capable of replacing the 42-year-old Craig Gordon. The path towards the World Cup will be rocky for Scotland. Greece have just shown how formidable an opponent they will be. Denmark are seasoned tournament campaigners. Belarus will bring logistical challenges. Clarke has two dicey June friendly matches to lower the temperature around his position. Given the progress of the recent past, this may well be an unjust situation. It is, though, a realistic one. Memories are short in this business.
