CHRISTOPHE BERRA will shrug off his Ipswich play-off despair to help Scotland in their bid to reach the European Championship finals in France.
The Tractor Boys lost 3-1 to rivals Norwich City in the second leg of the Championship play-off semi-final at Carrow Road last month, after the defender picked up a red card early in the second half for handling in the box, which allowed the home side to score from the penalty spot.
Berra, however, will not let the dismissal, the 4-2 aggregate defeat, or the prospect of another season at least in the second-tier of English football to affect his preparations for the friendly against Qatar at Easter Road on Friday night. The match will act as a warm-up for Scotland's crucial Euro 2016 Group D qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on June 13.
Berra, 30, said: "That is football. I have had bigger downs in my life. You get highs and lows during your career and you just bounce back.
"Until the sending off, it was a very tight game. It wasn't a hand ball that I thought about. I put my leg out and my arm was moving anyway, it was just a reaction in a split-second.
"You need to get over it and I have moved on. I am looking forward to these games and the start of next season. You can't dwell on it."
The former Hearts and Wolves player has been on the periphery of the Scotland team under Gordon Strachan and came off the bench to score an 85th minute winner in the 1-0 friendly victory over Northern Ireland at Hampden in March. However, he was was back among the substitutes four days later for the 6-1 Euro qualifying win over Gibraltar at the same venue.
But the 29-time capped centre-back is keen to get the chance to stake his claim again against Qatar at a stadium where he enjoyed success as a Jambo.
"I haven't played as many minutes as I would have liked, but that is credit to the boys," he said.
"Over the course of the campaign, the manager has not changed much and we have been pretty solid and got mostly positive results. I just need to train well and play well for my club, which I did this season.
"When I was at Hearts, I had a very good record at Easter Road, beating Hibs most of the time. I also played against Australia when we won 3-1. It is a great ground, modern - and my mum and dad live two minutes away so it is an easy walk for them."
