Hearts' Zander Clark on Hampden heroics and Scotland debut

The Scotland internationalist was a key part of St Johnstone’s double-winning team in 2020/21, and recorded clean sheets in both finals as Callum Davidson’s side became only the fourth team to win both domestic cups in the same season, but the 31-year-old still expects the encounter with Rangers to be a novel one.

“There are boys in there who have competed in cup finals and things like that before,” Clark explained. “As daft as it sounds, it will be a new experience for me too because there will be a full crowd there!

“It’s one of those where we are a senior enough squad so we know what to expect. We know the demands of the support and we need to make sure that when we cross that white line we put everything that we can into the game.

“It was a special time, peak Covid, which probably made it that wee bit… I wouldn’t say less enjoyable, but to not have anybody there - friends, family - was weird. I have great memories from it. Going to Hampden, it’s a one-off game and we’ll go into it with a positive mindset after the win over Livingston.

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“Yeah [there is a tinge of sadness that no one was there]. When you see all the stories coming out now and you think you probably could have had people in!

“That was probably the toughest part about it but the benefits of FaceTime these days, I spoke to my mum and dad and wife straight after the game in the changing room. I managed to savour those moments with them. It was good in that respect and good to win it. Hopefully we can do the same again.

“I would imagine going into the League Cup semi-final against Hibs we were massive underdogs, we knew we would have to soak up pressure and we did that for 30 minutes and then we got the lead before half-time and after that were comfortable [St Johnstone won 3-0].

“It will probably be similar, we will need to soak up a bit of pressure but it’s about what we do when we’re in possession of the ball. We need to limit Rangers to as few chances as we can. We need to make the most of it when we’ve got the ball and try and nick a goal.”

Hearts certainly have a game plan to follow. Last week’s trip to Ibrox so nearly resulted in three points for the men in maroon after they took an early lead through Lawrence Shankland. They defended resolutely for most of the contest, restricting Rangers to few clear-cut opportunities, before a late James Tavernier penalty and an even later Danilo header sealed a 2-1 win for Phillipe Clement’s side.

Naturally, the last-gasp nature of the defeat stung Clark and his team-mates, but the goalkeeper insists the players can take heart from their performance nonetheless. They withstood heavy pressure for long periods, and they will have to do so again at Hampden if they are to reach the final.

“There were good bits in the game,” Clark said. “I thought we played really well. Straight after the game it probably doesn’t feel like you have but when you break it down, the penalty call changes the whole momentum of the game and takes the wind out of the sails.

“I’m sure that will be drilled into us about mindset. It is difficult when the tide turns but we need to weather it and hopefully we can pose more threats and get a positive result.

“When you’re in the cups it’s probably your best chance of silverware. We’ve put ourselves in a good position, we’re at the national stadium and we need to make sure we prepare properly. The manager and coaching staff will have a game plan.

“The club have had success. I say success - they have been in semi-finals, finals in recent years so as a group we want to get ourselves back there and try and win this cup this time. We know it will be a tough game, we found that out the other night. It’s going into it with the same sort of positive mindset.

“We will analyse the opposition and look at their strengths and weaknesses, and how we can combat it. But at the end of the day it’s about trying to keep the ball out of the net. That’s not just down the goalkeeper – the defence, even the whole squad, play their part. They press from the front and it is a collective unit.

“The goalkeeper is the last man it falls to so you can be a hero or you can very, very quickly become a villain with one lapse in concentration. So you need to show that you are fully focused for the full 90 minutes. Whatever game you’re going into, it’s always the objective to try and keep a clean sheet and help the team.”

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With Craig Gordon continuing his recovery from a long-term injury, Clark knows it won’t be long before the 40-year-old is competing for his place in the starting XI. But as Clark points out, that battle for the gloves isn’t anything new.

“I’ve got Michael McGovern behind me at the minute – he’s another top, top international goalkeeper so I’ve got to keep my standards high regardless,” Clark reasoned. “The big man is pushing me so it’s not as if I’m entering new waters.

“I’ll be delighted to see Craig back and a lot of people wouldn’t have envisioned it. It’s no different for me though because I have got a top international goalkeeper behind me at the minute. Standards need to be high.”

Clark himself got his first taste of international football last month in Scotland’s 4-1 defeat to France in a friendly held in Lille, replacing fellow debutant Liam Kelly at the start of the second half at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. It was a proud moment for the goalkeeper and his family, given it was the first time he had represented his nation at any age level.

“I was delighted to eventually get that first cap,” he said. “It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of, to play for my country. I never thought it would happen in terms of not being involved at any sort of level in the age groups.

“To then receive that first senior call up was a huge honour and to then go on and receive that first cap is a very proud moment for myself and my family. They’ve sacrificed a lot as well to get me into this position, my mum and dad, my wife - they go through all the bad times with you. For that it was a real high point in my career and for them to see it is pleasing as well.

“I’m just always focused on what I can do at club level. I don’t even take it for granted that I’ll be in the squad for the next camp. If you play well then you might be in it, and that’s how I’ve always looked at it. I won’t let my mind wander and your mind is always on the next game. My mind is fully on Rangers and hopefully we can put in a good performance - and reach a final.”

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