Scotland squad has ‘perfect’ mix, says midfielder Ryan Christie
Ryan Christie believes the Scotland squad has the “perfect” mix as it looks to take a giant step toward Euro 2024 against Cyprus. Steve Clarke’s side have won their first four qualifiers to sit top of Group A, eight points ahead of Georgia and Norway and nine ahead of Spain, albeit the Spanish have only played two fixtures. After thrilling wins, most notably away to Norway and at home to Spain, the Scots are looking to at least extend their unbeaten run to nine games in Larnaca on Friday, hoping to eventually reach a second successive European Championship finals. Scotland then host England in a 150th anniversary match at Hampden and can qualify that night if results in the other group games go their way. Talking about the team spirit and confidence in the camp, Bournemouth midfielder Christie, 28, said: “It is probably the perfect mix. I’ve never had it so perfect in any other club I have been a part of in my career. “You can see it when everybody meets up and has a brilliant laugh with each other, but when game time rolls around or when we’re on the training pitch everybody’s completely locked in. “So it’s just a nice feeling. I think it also helps when everybody’s meeting up and everyone’s just kind of sliding in again back to normal and ready to go again. It definitely helps and hopefully that will help on Friday. “I think the togetherness is always spoken about a lot, but the belief and confidence we have within ourselves as a group now has never been higher. Obviously qualifying for the last Euros and when we had that kind of slip qualifying for the World Cup, we were desperate to bounce back from that. To be fair ever since that we’ve been right back on track. “The group of boys we’ve got now, from experience right down to the young boys pushing in, everybody’s pushing in the same direction and starting to show.” We need to now keep qualifying for these tournaments because we've got a good enough squad to do it Ryan Christie Christie believes the squad has benefited from the experience of qualifying for Euro 2020, the first time Scotland have reached the finals of a major tournament since 1998. The former Inverness and Celtic player, who will win his 40th cap if selected in Larnaca, added: “Obviously qualifying for the last one, and I’m sure you guys (in the media) felt it too, was just like a massive weight off the shoulders, if anything. “And up to that point, it felt like almost we were jinxed not to qualify for anything. “So to get rid of that feeling was nice. It’s definitely gone. And now we need to now keep qualifying for these tournaments because we’ve got a good enough squad to do it. “We know that so we put that pressure on ourselves from within. I think before the last Euros we qualified for there was a pressure externally as well for us. It feels like everybody’s together.” Christie scored the first of his five Scotland goals in a 2-1 win over Cyprus in Nicosia in November 2019. “Very good memories,” he said of that contest. “My memories are that it was tough to be honest. That’s my first memory. “It’s easy for the onlookers or supporters to overlook Cyprus but, especially when you’re playing away from home against these guys, they make it so hard. “That last game was a tough one. So we expect the same on Friday.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Topsy Ojo backs Steve Borthwick’s England to come good at World Cup Rory McIlroy vows to take ‘sensible’ approach to pre-Ryder Cup stag do Charlie Nicholas urges Scotland to capitalise on Euro qualification chance
1970-01-01 08:00
Enbridge slumps on surprise $14 billion bid for gas-powered utilities
U.S.-listed shares of Enbridge Inc tumbled nearly 7% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the Canadian pipeline operator
1970-01-01 08:00
Phillips, Cargill make statement about Black team ownership by winning professional softball title
Former Major League Baseball star Brandon Phillips and current women's pro wrestler Jade Cargill took on professional sports franchise ownership together less than a year ago
1970-01-01 08:00
Russian missile strikes eastern Ukraine market, killing 16, in one of the worst attacks in months
At least 16 people have been killed, including a child, after a Russian missile struck a market in a town in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, officials said, in one of the worst attacks in months.
1970-01-01 08:00
Factbox-Who are the Republican candidates running for U.S. president?
WASHINGTON Ten Republican candidates are seeking their party's nomination to take on Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden in
1970-01-01 08:00
8 celebrities who died after going missing
Here are eight stars who met a tragic end after they vanished mysteriously
1970-01-01 08:00
Kenyan baby stealer convicted after BBC expose
Hospital worker Fred Leparan attempted to sell a baby boy to an undercover BBC reporter.
1970-01-01 08:00
Federal safety regulators push to recall 52 million air bags
Federal safety regulators are pushing to get 52 million air bags recalled due to the threat that they could explode, severely injuring or even killing a car's occupants.
1970-01-01 08:00
Reese Witherspoon sells her fashion brand, Draper James
Private equity group Consortium Brand Partners announced Wednesday it has acquired actress Reese Witherspoon's fashion and lifestyle brand, Draper James, through a majority stake.
1970-01-01 08:00
Joe Jonas files for divorce from Sophie Turner after 4 years of marriage
Joe Jonas has filed for divorce from Sophie Turner after four years of marriage and two children
1970-01-01 08:00
Timothée Chalamet fan calls Kylie Jenner a "stalker" after the pair are seen kissing
The internet has gone crazy after a video of actor Timothée Chalamet and reality star Kylie Jenner were spotted kissing at a Beyoncé concert. The video came after months of speculation that the two had become an item. But some are seemingly more upset than others about the pair, namely one Chalamet fan account known as Club Chalamet, run by a woman called Simone who describes herself as a "GenX LA based super fan account". On her Instagram account she called Jenner a "stalker" and says "it looks like they're meeting for the first time since she's been stalking his place. What else is he supposed to do, spit in her face? He was probably there with friends and mama kajenner waved her staff and commanded this meeting be filmed." Simone continued to upload on her social media, sharing her distress at the pair being spotted together. Later that night she posted a photo of text that read "If you're feeling distressed by the video, it's ok. But please take care of yourself. Step away from social media for a couple of days." However, later in the night footage of the pair kissing went viral, and, in Simone's words, "it does get worse." "Based on all the DMs I have received, fans are absolutely devastated and disappointed. I don't know what more I can say to alleviate your pain and heartache, I truly sympathise with you. Please take some time away from social media to tend to your mental health because that's very important to me," she wrote. "For those of us who know better," she continued, "stay strong. the relentless pursuit of Timothée Chalamet had an end game and what better way to claim her prize than at a Beyoncé concert where half of Hollywood and the media would be there, with a special focus on the kajenners and their guests in the VIP stand." In another post she wrote: "The past 24 hours have been stressful for must of us, especially those of us who support Timothée." Over on Twitter/X, she bizarrely claimed that his smoking at the event was a "clear sign of his level of stress and discomfort." Of course Simone's strange accusations and seeming-obsession with Chalamet drew a lot of criticism online. Many called her "delusional" and "insane": It also led many to comment on parasocial relationships and its impacts. PsychCentral defines parasocial relationships as "a one-sided attachment with a fictional character or media personality." And with the rise of social media where it is easier for fans to interact with celebrities they love, the risk of forming a parasocial attachment is higher, as can be seen by Simone's reaction. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
'Mission: Impossible' star Emmanuelle Béart reveals she was victim of incest
French film actress Emmanuelle Béart has revealed that she was a victim of incest, continuing a national reckoning with child sexual abuse in France.
1970-01-01 08:00
