IT was not long after nine o'clock on a snowy March night when Robert Snodgrass made a decision that was to have a substantial impact on Scotland's hopes of victory and on his emotional well-being.
And, of course, on Chris Gunter's leg.
Scotland were leading Wales 1-0 in the Group A World Cup qualifier and seemed to have survived a feckless start to stand on the verge of a possible first victory in the section. The Norwich City midfielder had just smacked the ball against a post and was in the vanguard of a resurgence by Gordon Strachan's team. But then he met Gunter inside the area with an injudicious challenge and the referee pointed to the spot. Within half an hour, Wales had won the match and Snodgrass was explaining himself to Strachan.
"I spoke to the manager – I don't think anyone could have picked me up given the way I was feeling. I was very low," said Snodgrass. "I said to him that I tried to make the tackle because if the ball goes in the box and they score they'd be asking me why I hadn't made it. People say it's a game of inches and I was close to blocking the cross. But he was quite clever. I heard him screaming at the top of his voice and next minute he was up. I've still got a scar on my thigh with the way he slid into me."
He also has the hurt of knowing that his intervention was another of the depressing episodes that have run through the series of Group A qualifiers for Scotland. "It was the low point of the campaign for me. At that point I felt we were in control of the game," he said.
Snodgrass has a chance of redemption against Croatia on Friday. Comfortable on the ball and energetic in wide positions, he may be called upon to stem the flow of Igor Stimac's side and then to spring forward in attack. He may play alongside Leigh Griffiths, the Wolverhampton Wanderers striker, who had a wonderful season on loan at Hibernian.
"Leigh was at Livingston when I was there," said Snodgrass of the humble beginnings of two internationalists. "He was just coming through and was scoring goals from every single angle and shooting from every possible angle. That's the way he was – the way you see him now. I see Scottish football whenever I can and every time I see him he's hungry for goals. That's what he's always had."
Snodgrass, who moved to Norwich from Leeds United in 2012, has enjoyed playing alongside Russell Martin, who may be Strachan's last, best hope at centre-half. "Russell could definitely play in central defence for Scotland. He is a top, top professional. He is a big athlete. Scotland haven't seen the best of Russell Martin yet," said Snodgrass.
However, he added: "He is playing right-back for Norwich, which makes it quite tough for the Scotland manager to put him in at centre-half. But if this is Russell's chance, then I know he will take it. You will see signs of how good he is. He played in central defence for Norwich against Manchester City and [Sergio] Aguero, [Carlos] Tevez and [Edin] Dzeko were kept quiet that day. That's great testament to him."
"It's being a bit disrespectful to the other lads in the squad to say Russell can nail down a place but I think he has got a chance to do it."
Snodgrass, too, has the opportunity to impress Strachan and to banish the memory of a snowy night in March.
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