' DAVID MARSHALL '

' Cardiff City skipper David Marshall backed to keep hold of Scotland jersey for crunch Republic of Ireland clash '

Wednesday Nov 12, 2014

By Chris Wathan

Marshall is competing for a spot in goal with Craig Gordon, but it's Gordon who has backed him to stay first choice


Cardiff City star David Marshall has been backed to keep the Scotland No.1 jersey – by the man he’s keeping out of it.

Craig Gordon has been hailed for his recent performances for Celtic in the SPL and in the Europa League.

But having bided his time for his big international breakthrough, it is Bluebirds stopper Marshall who has established himself as Gordon Strachan’s first choice for their Celtic Park clash with the Republic of Ireland tomorrow.

It will see Marshall return to the home of the Bhoys after spending his formative years at Celtic prior to becoming a star in South Wales with City. Marshall's fellow Bluebird - midfielder Anthony Pilkington - is in Martin O’Neill’s squad.

And after the 29-year-old followed up his stunning year in the Premier League with impressive recent showings against Germany and Poland, Gordon has acknowledged Marshall deserves to be the man in position.

Craig Gordon
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“I thought Gordon would stick with David in Poland,” said Hoops star Gordon.

“He had a good game in the last international in Germany and in the couple of games before it he had enjoyed a good game with Cardiff. I was hoping I might have a chance of playing, but I wasn't expecting it. If I was in David’s situation I would expect to keep my place.

“The competition is tough because there are a lot of good goalkeepers in Scotland at the moment. Whoever is playing well has a chance of playing, so we will wait and see.

“I thought there might be a chance, but I knew David had been playing well and had done well in his last few Scotland matches so I wasn’t totally convinced I would play.

"But there is that lingering little doubt in your mind. I hoped I might get a chance, but you just continue on doing the things I’ve been doing at Celtic and hope it comes.”

Marshall has been an ever-present for Cardiff this season and has kept the captaincy despite the change of managers at the club.

Marshall, who will hope to keep his place for Scotland’s friendly clash with England next week, attracted interest from a number of top-flight clubs over the summer leading Arsenal stopper Wojciech Szczesny to admit his relief he didn’t sign for the Gunners to threaten his spot.

David Marshall: Ireland game bigger than England -

DAVID Marshall knows there is no such thing as a “friendly” against England but that still cannot eclipse their Republic of Ireland clash.

Scotland face Roy Hodgson’s side in Glasgow next week in what the goalkeeper branded a “so-called” friendly.

Yet even that will be an after-thought to a far more important “derby”, the Euro 2016 qualifier against Ireland tomorrow. Marshall said: “When the home nations play it whets everybody’s appetite and they are exciting games but, for once, England is not the biggest game for us.
“Ireland is the one we are more focused on as it does mean more in the qualifying group. There are important points up for grabs so it has to be the priority. It’s a massive game given the way the group has started. Then of course after that we have got the so-called friendly against England to look forward to.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/ ... -1-3603263

Marshall is quality.

That is all!

David Marshall: We must have no regrets


Scotland keeper David Marshall gears up for tomorrows home clash with Ireland, a match he believes is crucial in the battle for Euro 2016 qualification
by DAVID HARDIE


Thursday 13 November 2014


David Marshall hopes Scotland don’t live to regret what he regards as points dropped against Germany and Poland as he insisted they have to make the most of their home games in order to make the 2016 Euro finals.

A Thomas Muller double in Dortmund left the Scots empty-handed and they were forced to settle for a point in Warsaw as Arkadiusz Milik’s late strike earned Poland a point, results which have left them trailing the Republic of Ireland, whom they host tomorrow night, and Poland in qualifying Group D.

Marshall believes Scotland’s performances in both those away matches deserved greater reward than one solitary point, although a narrow 1-0 win over Georgia at Ibrox means their hopes of being in France the summer after next are still very much alive.


However, with two of their next three games against the Irish, the Cardiff City goalkeeper conceded he and his team-mates are now in a crucial period of their campaign, with the Republic, who snatched a last-gasp draw away to Germany, and the Poles three points ahead.

The former Celtic No.1 said: “Ireland have obviously got good points on the board early while we have not taken as many as we believe we could have done. We were left feeling disappointed by the final result in Germany, but we know the performance was there from us that night. It was a similar story in Poland where, again, we came away thinking the way we had played was worth more than the point we got.


“Now, the way the group is sitting, tomorrow night’s game has become massive for both countries. They want to build on their start, while we are desperate not to allow anyone to fly away from us.

“Qualification is still very hard to call but two of our next three games are against Ireland, so this is a very important period in the campaign. We are only looking as far as this match, however, as it is so important we make the most of our home games.

“They are going to be massive for us if we are to make it to the finals in France. We just hope we’re not going to look back on our games in Germany and Poland with regrets we left behind points which we felt we played well enough to take.”

As expected, the group minnows Gibraltar, playing in their first Uefa competition, have been defeated in all three of their opening games, conceding a massive 17 goals in the process. The newcomers visit Scotland in March and then host Gordon Strachan’s side in the final group game next October.

While Marshall expects World Cup holders and group favourites Germany to live up to their billing despite their indifferent start to the campaign, he believes it’s important the Scots keep their hopes alive until the bitter end.

He said: “We will be back playing at Hampden again after the turn of the year and we have to be prepared to make sure we do not come off the pitch with anything left to give. We all expect Germany to show why they are wold champions and group favourites. But it’s going to be so competitive for the automatic qualification places and the play-off spot.

“Like Germany, Georgia have not started the way they’d have hoped, but they are still a country who will have a say in the group. We play Gibraltar in our final game, but we have to make sure it is still in our own hands when it comes around.”

Such is the interest in tomorrow night’s match, Marshall claimed it overshadows Tuesday’s clash with England, again at Celtic Park which, he believes has been the right choice for these games.

He said: “The Ireland match is the only one people are talking about and it’s the one everyone wants tickets to see. With the Scotland fans behind us it doesn’t really matter where it is played, they will make sure we have the advantage.

“I appreciate that the likes of Martin O’Neill, Aiden McGeady and Robbie and Roy Keane have a big history connected to Celtic but this is an international match and I am sure, on the night, the Tartan Army will make it a real Scotland occasion.”

It's been nearly eight years since David Marshall last visited Celtic Park, an astonishing fact given how much the club meant to him as a boy and as a young goalkeeper making his way in the game.
Eight years since he left and even longer since he last played there. Now we're really going back in time. The visitors on that August day in 2006 were a Hibs team including Scott Brown, Steven Whittaker and Steven Fletcher. In Celtic's ranks - Marshall and Aiden McGeady. Spot the odd man out.
Brown opened the scoring, but the game was won with two goals in four minutes from Maciej Zurawski and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. "Wow! Long time ago," says Marshall with a smile. "Aye, I left for Norwich in January 2007 and I've never been back to Celtic Park since. Not on purpose, but it's just the way things have worked out. I've been to a few Old Firm games at Ibrox, but never Celtic Park. Strange, isn't it? For years I was never out of the place."
Marshall is such an engaging character. Funny and thoughtful. His return to the east end of Glasgow will be exhilarating. Not just because he's going back to a ground that was once very special to him but because he's going back as number one, a status that was so often denied him when he was a Celtic player. There is no bitterness and not a lot of regret. It's the way of things, he says.
He made his Celtic debut at 17 and came on as a sub in that storied Uefa Cup game against Barcelona having just turned 19. He had Martin O'Neill as a manager and then Gordon Strachan. He had Roy Keane as a team-mate, if only for a little while. He laughs at the connections to Friday night.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30026738

Didn't watch it but sounded like Marshall made a couple of decent saves for Scotland tonight

@GaryLineker: David Marshall is a terrific goalkeeper. Certainly kills that old nonsensical cliché about Scottish keepers being useless.

It is actually remarkable to have such a player at our club.