Friday 10 November 2017 08:53, UK
Malky Mackay has praised his Scotland players after their defeat to the Netherlands, expressing his pride at their performance.
The caretaker manager took charge of the side for the match at Pittodrie, but the Scots were beaten by a 40th-minute strike from Memphis Depay.
However, Scotland had many of the good chances throughout the game, which led Mackay to hail his players in his post-match interview and praised the captaincy of 20-year-old Kieran Tierney.
"I'm very proud of the players. To end up with 18 shots at goal against the Netherlands, who are a team that keep the ball so well, and for us to handle that the way we did, I'm so proud of them," he told Sky Sports.
"They are a young group who are growing and growing and I can see it in their eyes that they are the future of Scottish football.
"[Tierney was] Pretty sensational. He led the team, stepped out with the ball and was courageous. He passed it, defended well and read the game. I knew he was going to be like that, I had no problems with that.
"There were a lot of them tonight who stepped up and were really brave. When I say brave, I mean brave to take the ball in tight areas and tactically, do what we asked them to do.
"All over the park, there were those performances, I can't single too many out, but to step out as a captain for the first time like that in a position that's not quite yours, I know there is a great future for Kieran."
It could be a one game only engagement for Mackay, who is set to return to his job as SFA performance director and will not be in the running for the permanent position.
"I'm going back to my job tomorrow. Whatever happens after that happens, but that's for upstairs" he said of the situation.
"I'm just delighted that in these five days, the players have given me everything and the backroom team, plus Scott Brown, who I asked to come and sit on the bench and be part of my backroom staff tonight as well.
"All the staff too who added to all the different facets that make up the players playing at the top level, in terms of analysis, the GPS, the medical and sports science approach, I've got to thank them because we've got a way of working now that I hope is the way we are going to work going forward in Scottish football at international level.
"When the players go away, they realise it's Champions League and it's a club atmosphere."
