Three thousand, one hundred and ninety six miles separate Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium and the home of the New England Patriots, the venue that hosted Scotland's World Cup opener in June. On a chill evening on the banks of the Mersey on 31 March, the distance to that game against Haiti fewer than three months later will have been starting to brew for Lennon Miller. The Udinese midfielder was part of Steve Clarke's squad that took on Japan at Hampden and the Ivory Coast in friendlies across that international break.
Despite the yearning of supporters for experimentation, Miller did not play one minute. The image of him being consoled by his dad, Lee, at the side of the pitch in Liverpool was a sign of what was to come. Fast forward to Clarke's World Cup farewell against Curacao, uncapped Manchester United 19-year-old Tyler Fletcher was called up instead of the former PFA Young Player of the Year Winner, with Miller then not taken to the World Cup.
"It was really difficult. It was a difficult summer," Lee, a former Scotland international himself, said. "There's no getting away from it.
"As a family, we had to get round about him. He's been in the game long enough. Obviously, as a player, he's been in the game a few years.
"But with myself being in the game, just a few words of wisdom and encouragement. And, listen, it wasn't to be for him. Obviously somebody wasn't meant to go to the World Cup for whatever reason.
"But he just needs to get on with things and knuckle down and work hard." How is Scotland squad shaping up for Pocognoli debut? Xhaka under investigation over Covid-19 certificate The Clarke regime is over and Sebastien Pocognoli has stepped up to the mandate for change called for by the Tartan Army. There is a fresh look about the Belgian's squad for the forthcoming Nations League double header, with Miller back in the fold.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
