Source: Daily_Mail
Gloves are on as McGregor gets Scotland No 1 shirt ahead of Gordon
Allan McGregor last night insisted he's ready to face the best Holland can throw at him after Scotland boss George Burley handed the Rangers keeper the gloves for the World Cup showdown in the Amsterdam Arena, with Craig Gordon on the bench.
Sunderland goalie Gordon has made only one appearance for his club in four months and Burley pulled both men aside at the squad's Loch Lomondside hotel to explain isdecision.
Sportsmail understands McGregor would have been deeply aggrieved had he missedout, with Ibrox international refusenik Kris Boyd having been told before the Norwaygame that a lack of club action counted against him.
'We know it will be very tough in Amsterdam, but we have to travel with a positiveattitude,' said the Rangers keeper.
'Holland and Iceland are two massive matches in our campaign and if we lose them we will be really struggling to get to South Africa.
'Four points would be viewed as a positive outcome. But you would not be thinking like that if you were 1-0 up in the Amsterdam Arena with five minutes left.
'I will focus on the first game and take it from there.'
Burley is comfortable with his No1 choice and said: 'I have made the decision now so it doesn't become a distraction.
There has been so much speculation, with people talking about the pros and cons of each player.
'Now it's done, the decision has been made, and people can decide whether it's right or wrong and we move on.
'It's fairer for the goalkeepers to do this now, so I spoke to them yesterday. I spoke to Craig and he took it great, he can understand my position. Now Allan can be focused on the game without the speculation.
'Last season I thought Allan was magnificent. In all the games I saw, I can't remember him making any mistakes. Maybe at the start of this season he did. But he has bounced back from that and been in outstanding form of late.
'He was faultless against Argentina and he has come in with that experience under his belt. I have said for six months that I've got two top-class international keepers.
'Allan was very pleased, obviously. But I must stress that Craig Gordon has never put a foot wrong for Scotland.'
