Kenny Miller not seeking revenge ahead of Wales

Published on 08/02/2013 00:00

KENNY Miller insists vengeance should not be a motivating factor when Scotland take on Wales in their World Cup qualifier at Hampden next month.

The Scots were left seething in Cardiff in October when striker Steven Fletcher put the ball in the net only to see the linesman with his flag raised while they were leading 1-0, with replays suggesting the decision was incorrect. Tottenham winger Gareth Bale then scored twice, once from the spot, to win the game and deal another blow to Scotland’s hopes of reaching Brazil in 2014.

However, Miller, speaking after Gordon Strachan made a solid start in his Scotland managerial career with a 1-0 win over Estonia at Pittodrie on Wednesday, is looking forward to a March double-header against Wales and then Serbia. He said: “You don’t want to go into any game as a player thinking we need to get revenge or we owe them one or whatever. We will go out and do our job. We will be set up properly to go and win the game and it is about us going out and performing, which is something we actually have not done too well in the first four games.

“Obviously we feel a bit aggrieved by the way that game went with the goal being disallowed but we have to forget about that and get the three points from this one.”

Scotland are bottom of Group A with two points from four games, but the 33-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps striker remains optimistic about the chances of making the World Cup finals next year. “I have been optimistic with every double-header that has come up and it will be the same with this one,” Miller said. “There is no reason why we can’t beat Wales at home and if we get a positive result, then obviously we will go into the next game on a high.”