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McFadden: Scots must focus on job, not emotion

JAMES McFADDEN has urged Scotland to ignore the emotion surrounding their play-off showdown with Ukraine and focus instead on taking a step closer to the World Cup.

The former Tartan Army talisman knows the majority of neutral fans will be backing the visitors in Wednesday’s semi-final at Hampden following Russia’s invasion of their homeland.

But McFadden insists Ukraine won’t be looking for any favours from the Scots and

will be expecting to face a team equally determined to clinch a place in the final against Wales in Cardiff a week on Sunday. The former Motherwell and Everton star warned Steve Clarke’s side not to be distracted by the occasion, with a first World Cup finals in 24 years on the line. ‘It is going to be a tough game and there is going to be a huge emotional element to it as well,’ said McFadden. ‘But I think we just have to concentrate on what we have been doing and approach the game believing we can win it. ‘Ukraine are certainly going to be the team that everyone wants to win in the play-off. But we have to deal with it. We have to respect the situation over in Ukraine. For us, it’s a football match but, for them, it’s so much more. ‘The atrocities that are happening in Ukraine? We take for granted that we can walk safely down the street. We might say we have players X, Y or Z unavailable (through injury). They may be saying a player may not have a home to go to or a family member is no longer with us. ‘Is there an end in sight for them? I don’t know. ‘But Ukraine have decided they can play the game and the emotional side has to leave our players.’