McNamara eyes final opportunity

Jackie McNamara is desperate to help Scotland qualify for Euro 2008 – because it is his last chance to represent his country at a major tournament.

The Wolves defender, 33, has been plagued by injury this season and admits he does not have the legs to play on until he is 40 like some players.

He starred for Scotland at the 1998 World Cup and says he would love a swansong at the European Championships next summer before hanging up his international boots for good.

“This will definitely be my last campaign at international level,” said McNamara. “I won’t go on forever.

“I’m not one of those guys like Craig Brewster who can play until he’s 40.

“It seems as if I’ve been running around parks since I was 16 years old.”

He added: “I played at France 98 and the experience of that was fantastic.

“Looking back, you believed tournaments like that would come along all the time and I never imagined it would be the last major tournament we’d take part in.

“It would be great for everyone in the country if we could make the European Championships next summer or the World Cup in 2010.”