Shaun Maloney keen to keep playing for Scotland
Monday 12 October 2015 14:31, UK
Shaun Maloney insists he has no plans to retire from international football after Scotland failed to qualify for Euro 2016.
There has been speculation that the Hull midfielder, who turns 33 in January, could call it a day, but he remains keen to add to his 45 caps.
Maloney scored a fine goal in Sunday's 6-0 win over Gibraltar in Faro as Scotland ended their Group D campaign on a high despite a ninth successive failure to qualify for a major tournament.
And when asked afterwards if he still had the appetite for the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, he told STV: "Personally, yes I do.
"I absolutely love playing for Scotland. It's a privilege. It's what gets you up in the morning, so I'm very proud to play.
"But I think it'll be the manager of the national side who will decide when I don't play - not me."
Maloney pointed to the 1-0 defeat in Georgia in September as the most damaging result of Scotland's campaign.
The former Celtic, Aston Villa and Wigan player said: "We have to look at the recent game in Georgia as obviously a huge result. It was a huge knock-back.
"I think that result put us in a very difficult situation. It meant we had to rely on other teams and Ireland have proved what a good side they've been when they beat Germany.
"That's why we find ourselves in the situation we're in."
