'I back myself' - why Jack Hendry could be Scotland's answer to Erling Haaland threat

Jack Hendry cannot add prophecy to his many qualities although he knows he stands a good chance of being handed one of the toughest assignments in football on Saturday night in Oslo.

He is taking nothing for granted. But the way the Scotland centre half strolled into the Hampden crush room so full of purpose earlier this week suggested he suspects he might be the man for the big occasion. And why shouldn’t he believe that?

Grant Hanley, who would have been Steve Clarke’s first choice, is out. John Souttar, one option to step in, is struggling with injury.

Whether Souttar is deemed fit or not, Hendry would seem the obvious choice to fill the spot in the centre of a three-man defence, where he is likely to be flanked by Ryan Porteous and Kieran Tierney.

Jack Hendry during a Scotland training session at Lesser Hampden ahead of the trip to Norway on Saturday. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

All three will have one thing in mind: stop Erling Haaland. In fact, you can add another eight players to the list of those whose thoughts are dominated by this task, including goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

But Hendry could well be the one who finds himself directly up against Haaland most often assuming the Norwegian striker is fit and able to line up in Saturday’s critical Euro 2024 qualifier.

In actual fact, more doubts linger over Haaland’s involvement than there are about Hendry, with the Manchester City forward arriving fresh – or perhaps not so fresh – from over 48 hours’ partying with Jack Grealish and co after Manchester City’s Champions League victory on Saturday evening against Internazionale.

Reports from Norway confirmed he has landed in Oslo via private jet. Sadly for the Scots, Haaland is ready to start rectifying his curiously poor international goal record of late – just one goal in eight outings – after a season in which he has scored 52 times for his club.

Scotland and Club Brugge defender Jack Hendry tangles with PSG forward Kylian Mbappe in a Champions League encounter. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Hendry is exhilarated rather than fazed by the prospect. “These are the type of players as footballers you always want to play against,” he said. “His record this season speaks for itself. It is obviously amazing what he has achieved this season but why can’t Scotland stop him? At the end of the day, there is nothing to say we can’t.

“A lot of people have tried to this season and they haven’t done so. We have got nothing to lose in a way and that’s mindset we go into it with."

Hendry can't afford to get too het up about Haaland. His reputation won't deflect the defender from his usual pre-match preparation, which hasn't altered much since his days at Partick Thistle and Dundee.

“From a personal point of view, I won’t change the way I analyse him compared to any other striker," said Hendry. "I prepare the exact same way it doesn’t matter the name. I will look out his strengths and any weaknesses. There’s a whole list I can go through.

"For example, where he scores his goals is pretty obvious – it has all been in amongst the 18-yard-box. He is a real lethal striker, has real good movement. Your concentration levels need to be extremely high. He is very good at anticipating things. We just need to be as alert as possible throughout the 90 minutes."

As well as six years older, Hendry is 2cms taller than Haaland. Age might not count for much – Hendry has just endured a tough, injury disrupted campaign with Cremonese in Serie A and Club Brugge, his parent club, in Belgium. But the centre-half’s physicality could be important, as might be his recent experience of tackling world stars in the Champions League with Club Brugge in the last couple of seasons, particularly in 2021/22.

The Belgian club's group was made up by a pre-Haaland Manchester City, RB Leipzig and Paris-Saint Germain.

Hendry was lauded for his performance against a front three of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the 1-1 home draw against PSG. He counts Mbappe as the best he’s faced to date, although Haaland might well have forced him to revise that opinion by 7.45pm local time on Saturday night. Man City, even sans Haaland, are the best team he says he’s come up against.

“They played with a false nine so it might have been slightly different this season, when they have tended to go a bit longer,” he said. “With that experience it only gives you more confidence playing on this stage and those games helped me massively, and I managed to play in the last 16 this season (v Benfica).

“I relish playing against these kinds of guys and I’ll do everything in my power to get the better of him (Haaland),” he added. “I’m extremely motivated, and what could be better than testing yourself against the best? For me, I back myself, and I’m sure all the other lads will back themselves as well.”

Now 28, Hendry would benefit from a season where he is playing every week in a stable environment. Club Brugge recently announced another managerial change, with former Celtic manager Ronny Deila appointed ahead of next season. Deila’s time at Parkhead pre-dated Hendry’s short spell under Brendan Rodgers so the defender is unsure what to expect.

“I’ve got two more years at Club Brugge,” he said. “This year was a bit of an up and down one for me because of a few injuries and starting the year out in Italy,” he said. “Again though, I took myself out of my comfort zone and went out and experienced a different league (with Cremonese). It was probably just the wrong club at the wrong time.

“I learnt a lot from it though, with a manager that really wanted me there. I played those games and then picked up another injury.

“So, it’s been an up and down season. But I worked really hard to put myself in a position towards the end of the season to get games under my belt and make sure that I came here in the best shape possible.”