Starting XI: Richard Hastings on Figo and Canada Gold Cup glory

Richard Hastings, who starred for Caley Thistle and Ross County, is the latest former footballer to answer The Press and Journal’s quickfire Starting XI questions.

The classy ex-full-back was part of the Inverness side who stunned Celtic in a 3-1 Scottish Cup triumph at Parkhead in 2000, just before playing a central role in Canada winning the prestigious Gold Cup.

Hastings, now 47, who is in Canada Soccer’s Hall of Fame, has also managed Highland League clubs Inverurie Locos and Rothes.

What do you remember about your senior debut?

I must admit I don’t have a clear memory of my senior debut in club football, but I certainly remember my senior debut for the Canada men’s national team as it was played on my 21st birthday.

We played against Macedonia in Toronto and won 1-0 – and I provided the assist from a corner, so it was a very special and unforgettable day for me.

What is your career highlight?

My career highlights bizarrely ALL came in the month of February 2000 as it started with being part of the famous ICT team that beat Celtic 3-1 at Parkhead in the Scottish Cup and then flying immediately out to Los Angeles to compete for Canada in the CONCACAF Gold Cup .

There, against all odds, we went on to win the whole tournament, beating Colombia 2-0 in the final.

Another personal highlight along the way was scoring the golden goal in the quarter-final against Mexico to help us progress, and also I was named young player of the tournament, so it an unbelievable month for me.

Who is the best player you played with?

I have played with many great players for club and country, but I am picking a player who made such an impression and impact for ICT… and that player is Paul Sheerin.

From his very first training session when he came on trial, it was clear that we needed to sign him before someone else did.

I loved the way Paul played the game, always looking to play forward and hurt the opposition. He was a very clever footballer. A pleasure to play with!

And who was your toughest opponent?

Having played both left-back and left centre-back, I came up against some unbelievable wingers and strikers throughout my career – Brian Laudrup, Karel Poborsky, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero are some of the best – but I would have to say that ahead of them is Luis Figo.

Portugal icon Luis Figo in action during a charity game between Spanish national team legends and Goldstandard World Stars played in Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, in Madrid, in December 2019. Image: Mariscal/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock.

He was so graceful as well as being unbelievably talented.

Just a pleasure to compete against some of the game’s greatest.

Dressing room threads – who had the worst fashion sense in the dressing room?

Hard one to say, or remember, but Ian Black at Caley Thistle was always into his designer gear, so sometimes would appear in some questionable attire.

It was all kids’ sizes, so he probably got it half-price!

How would your team-mates describe you?

I think they would say I was very professional, hard working and dedicated to my profession.

What is the best advice you have been given?

It was during my time at Hamilton under Billy Reid (now a first-team coach at West Ham United).

I was having a bad game where nothing was going right for me, and I was rightly subbed off at half-time.

Richard Hastings, arm in the air, celebrating a goal for Canada. — Richard Hastings, facing, was a CONCACAF Gold Cup winner with Canada in 2020, scoring the winner in the last-eight tie against Mexico.

Naturally, I was feeling down with my head in my hands in the dugout, and whilst the game was going on Billy turned to me, and said: “Hey, you had a bad game… but you’re not a bad player”.

It made me feel better and actually put things into perspective – and I really appreciated him saying it in that moment when really he didn’t have to.

What is your favourite away ground and why?

I always got an extra buzz playing at Ibrox as both teams would walk out to Simply The Best, the atmosphere was electric and it just fired me up for the game.

What is your favourite goal scored by you or a team-mate?

It would definitely be the golden goal I scored for Canada against Mexico, as it meant so much and it was such a unique feeling as the goal effectively finished the game and we had won in that moment.

If you were stranded on a desert island and had to bring one former team-mate for help, who would it be and why?

It would have to be my Canadian team-mate and former Heart of Midlothian defender Kevin McKenna as he’s such a laugh to be around. I roomed with him enough over the years to know.