His fiancée might take a bit of convincing – but if rearranging their wedding becomes an annual ritual on the back of Scotland selection, St Johnstone goalkeeper Zander Clark would have no complaints.
Covid-19 forced Clark and partner Robyn to call-off their big day last summer, postponing it for 12 months.
Now, with Scotland qualifying for the delayed Euro 2020 finals and the likes of Saints boss Callum Davidson and former international Rab Douglas talking up the Perth keeper’s chances of claiming the third goalie spot in Steve Clarke’s squad, a potential clash of dates could be looming for June 2021.
“If it did happen, the missus would give me the cold shoulder!” Clark joked.
“But it’s something that doesn’t come around often so I’m sure she would compromise.
“Then there’s a World Cup the following year, so if it did happen I might just have to never get married!
“Seriously, though, I’m sure we’d be able to sort something out.”
He added: “It would be a massive achievement. It’s something you aspire to when you’re a kid playing in the park.
“It would be great for the club, just like it has been great for Ali McCann to come through here and become a full international. Ali deserves a lot of credit for that because he’s put in a lot of hard work and dedication to get there.
“Playing international football is the pinnacle for players and I’d love to be involved at some stage.
“But I’m not going to lose sleep over it, all I can do is do my best here for St Johnstone and then it’s up to other people.”
It’s nice to hear people speaking highly about me. That must mean I’m doing something right.
Clark has never been part of the Scotland set-up at any age level, with full call-ups coming for the likes of Jack Hamilton ahead of him in recent years.
Tommy Wright and Alan Mannus always maintained that he should have been in a squad long before now. Does Clark believe lack of previous recognition through the national ‘system’ has counted against him?
“I couldn’t tell you,” said the 28-year-old. “Possibly.
“It could have been that I wasn’t good enough to be involved at a younger age. There’s probably a reason for that.
“It’s not something that has ever been in my power.
“I’ve never been involved in a squad and if it doesn’t happen, it’s not something I’d lose any sleep over.
“You look at the young boys who have had call ups, Robby McCrorie and Liam Kelly, they are both top goalkeepers.
“They have been out on loan doing well. They’ve been great for the clubs they’re playing for and they’ve earned it.
“Boys who have been involved in the set-up at various age-groups have progressed through. I’ve never let myself get disheartened about it. I’ve always stayed the same.
“If what I’m doing is good enough then that would be brilliant. But the main thing is it’s helping the team here. I’ve always said that has to be my focus.
“I don’t set long-term targets. It’s about each day and each game one by one.
“If my performances merit me being included then that would be great.
“It’s nice to hear people speaking highly about me. That must mean I’m doing something right.
“I just need to make sure I maintain my level. As a goalkeeper you know that you’re always one mistake away from being the villain.”
Clark doesn’t have the benefit of being attached to an Old Firm club to fast-track his Scotland career but a superb weekend performance against one of the two Glasgow title hopefuls has elevated his profile again.
“It was my job to make some important saves at important times in the game,” said Clark of his contribution to Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Celtic. “You always know that will have to be the case at Parkhead.
“You need everybody to be on their game – especially the goalkeeper.
“Everybody put in an incredible shift in front of me. It was a proper squad effort.
“We’ve have some good results and we want to keep that going tomorrow against Livingston.”
Clark came back into the Saints team after injury against Saturday’s opponents in September. The results have improved dramatically since that 2-0 loss but it certainly wasn’t a case of ripping anything up and starting again.
“The big difference is we’re finishing off our chances,” he said. “We’re more solid as a unit as well.
“Confidence was never low. It was just that results weren’t going our way.
“We knew it was a case of sticking with it and results would come. That’s what has happened and the change is there for everybody to see.
“We’re more clinical when we’re in front of goal, we’re pressing high to win the ball back and the boys at the back are fighting just as hard to prevent us conceding.
“The boys in front of me have been great. We have had to change things a bit lately but Shaun Rooney has come in and done well too.
“But it’s not just about the defence. We have a good group who fight for each other and it starts at the top end of the pitch.
“We have a togetherness here and that plays a big part in us getting the results we have.”
Much has been made of the tactical change in approach at McDiarmid Park from one manager to another and the impact that has had on individual roles within the team unit. Clark is probably the only player whose job description remains unaltered.
“There has been new formation obviously,” he said. “And that means we look to play out when we can. But that was the case in previous seasons as well.
“My work has stayed the same pretty much – stop the ball from going in the net.”
