Scotland captain John McGinn has delivered a blunt yet honest response to recent fan criticism, insisting he would sacrifice friendly victories if it guarantees consistent qualification for major tournaments.
Following Scotland’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Japan, which sparked boos from supporters, McGinn stepped forward to address the growing frustration.
The loss marked another setback in a worrying run of form in non-competitive matches, yet the Aston Villa midfielder remains focused on the bigger picture.
Despite the negative reaction, McGinn made it clear that results in friendlies are secondary compared to long-term success on the international stage.
“I’d happily lose friendlies for the next 10 years to make each major tournament – that might sound mental but that’s just the reality of it,” the Aston Villa captain said.
“While we want to win because we are aware our friendly record – or lack of it – is a little bit alarming, the priority is to get minutes into the boys’ legs, give people a chance to show what they can do leading into the summer.
“We would have deservedly come under criticism if we didn’t get through that Denmark game to get us there (to the World Cup).”
As Scotland prepares to face Ivory Coast, manager Steve Clarke is expected to rotate heavily, further underlining the experimental nature of these fixtures.
Even so, McGinn believes these matches serve a crucial role in building match fitness and squad depth.
Asked whether results actually mattered in friendlies, he replied bluntly too.
“I don’t know if I can win with an answer.
“You’d probably say no because what matters is getting to tournaments and competing better in tournaments.
“You go into any game to win, you have professional pride and you are representing your country, but the priority in these games is to get minutes into the legs of players who are not playing at club level, which unfortunately for us is quite a few.
“So there is a balance there; whatever team the manager decides to pick will be aiming to win, but it’s a huge opportunity and probably a luxury we’ve not had before.
“I understand certain frustrations, but we won’t actually get a better chance than this.”
Meanwhile, criticism has not only been about results but also Scotland’s cautious playing style.
However, McGinn was quick to defend the tactical approach, arguing that it has been key to the nation’s recent qualification success.
“I understand (booing),” he said. “There probably needs to be a bit of balance. There has a to be a realisation we need the opportunity to tinker a little bit.
“We have to be aware of the standard of the teams we are playing. We can go gung-ho and fling bodies forward and get embarrassed and that would be proper booing.
“I’ve experienced much worse booing than that during friendlies as a Scotland player – I remember Belgium at home and other matches when the booing was a lot more deserved.
“The onus is on us to get bums off seats and try to take games to teams, but we also have to be cautious and over the years, whether some people enjoy watching it or not, it’s what has got us to where we are now and what has made us successful.
“If anyone in the country, players included, had to choose playing attacking, free-flowing football or qualifying for major tournaments, I know what option we would choose.”
Ultimately, while the noise from the stands continues, McGinn’s message is clear: Scotland’s focus remains firmly on results that truly matter when the stakes are highest.
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