Scotland v Ukraine: Clarke's squad up to qualification task - Ryan Christie
- Published
Ryan Christie (centre) hopes to be playing in the Premier League next season
World Cup play-off semi-final: Scotland v Ukraine | |
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Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Date: Wednesday, 1 June Time: 19:45 BST | |
Coverage: Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and Sportsound, and follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website & app |
Scotland are "definitely" up to the task of reaching the World Cup, says Ryan Christie.
Steve Clarke's side face Ukraine in Wednesday's World Cup play-off semi-final, with the winner taking on Wales in next Sunday's final in Cardiff.
And Christie, 27, says Clarke's squad are "desperate" to replicate the success of reaching Euro 2020.
"That's one of the exciting things about this game - you think about what it means to everybody," said Christie.
"I'm constantly told from all of my family friends. You just think of the whole of Scotland. You saw the reaction for that night in Serbia (reaching the Euros). It really had a feeling of how proud you were to be Scottish that night.
"We have the chance to do that again. We're just desperate to get a positive result on Wednesday. If we get the chance to play Wales we'll go with that same mindset. It would be an incredible achievement but I think this squad is definitely up to it."
Christie, initially with Celtic and latterly with Bournemouth, has excelled in Clarke's side, scoring all four of his international goals since the manager took charge in 2018.
"He's not once gone against his word or changed his ideas," Christie said of Clarke on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.
"You see it in the way we play. Everybody in that formation knows exactly what's expected of them. It's really starting to show. It's not just a coincidence, the success we've had so far under him."
'I've never finished a season so early'
Bournemouth have clinched an immediate return to the Premier League by finishing as Championship runners-up.
Their last game was three weeks ago and Christie joined a handful of Scotland players in St Andrews for "a mini pre-season" in preparation for Wednesday's game.
"It's a bit of strange one, I don't think I've ever finished a season that early," he said.
"That was my goal, to try and help Bournemouth get promoted. I'm absolutely over the moon that we've managed to get that.
"Plenty of people have said to me, 'you must be happy to have quietened a few people down'. I don't really see it like that.
"My goal was to hopefully be playing in the Premier League and hopefully I get the chance to do that next season."