Scotland dreams lured Miller south

Scotland striker Kenny Miller has admitted the lure of playing at UEFA EURO 2008™ was one of the reasons behind his summer transfer from Celtic FC to Derby County FC.

Important factor
The 27-year-old joined the English Premier League newcomers in August after being told he could not be guaranteed a starting place at Celtic, and while it was a wrench to turn his back on UEFA Champions League football, Miller feared a lack of first-team action could hamper his international chances. "It wasn't the main reason for leaving Celtic but I looked back over my Scotland performances for the last couple of years and realised I'd been playing regular football," said Miller. "Last season at Celtic I was starting maybe two games in five and I just feel that if I play week in, week out, then I will be able to do a better job for Scotland."

Inspired effort
Miller hopes to return to Alex McLeish's lineup for Saturday's Group B qualifier against Ukraine at Hampden Park having missed the September matches against Lithuania and France through injury. And he is taking inspiration from his international team-mate James McFadden, confessing that his first goal for Derby – against Newcastle United FC last month – was influenced by the wonder strike that beat Les Bleus. "I had seen James doing it in Paris and thought to myself: 'I'm going to have a shot at that.' It was one of those moments when the ball drops and you just hit it. Fortunately it went in. Sometimes in that situation the best thing you can do is try your luck. It came off for him and it came off for me the following week."

'Fantastic position'
With two goals in four games for Derby, Miller is feeling confident going into this week's double-header against Ukraine and Georgia. "We're in a fantastic position at the top of our group, with a two-point lead over [third-placed] France with three games to go. The level of expectation means that if we want to stay top, we've got to win the next two games. Everybody expects us to beat Ukraine at home because we've beaten France in Paris, and then to go to Georgia and win but that's not necessarily how it works. We will have to work just as hard and take our chances when they come."