The scale of anger as Scotland were unceremoniously bundled out of Euro 2024 was such that there was cause to ponder whether Steve Clarke could or should survive as the manager. Clarke’s response has fully justified his remaining in post; Scotland take a narrow lead into the second leg of the Nations League playoff against Greece, with the retaining of status in the top tier within touching distance. From lying on the canvas, the Scots are unbeaten in four and have won three in a row. This feels like a team on an upward curve once more. Scott McTominay, the goalscorer in Greece, has made plain that questioning Clarke was folly.
“In the summer it was very fine margins,” McTominay said. “The media will always say it is doom and gloom, stuff like that. It was such slim margins where, if you don’t take your moments in both boxes against top teams, you are going to get punished.
“I don’t really read or pay much attention to the criticism but from the general feeling from friends, family members, other players, then sometimes it was a bit unjustified given how well and what Steve Clarke has done for this whole group of players. He has basically transformed us into believing we can go and play against Spain, Germany and teams like that. If there is one game where it doesn’t come off then he still has belief in us the next time. For a player, that is crucial.”
Clarke, who seems to have at least one eye on returning to club management after his contract with the Scottish Football Association expires next year, could do worse than turn to McTominay for a reference. While the 28-year-old’s sentiment is generally correct, Scotland were humbled 5-1 by Germany at the Euros. It was Hungary, not Spain, who ensured an early tournament exit. Shades of grey exist.
Clarke himself is notably cautious over Scotland holding on to League A status. Hampden will rock to 50,000 members of the Tartan Army yet the outcome is no foregone conclusion. The rationale for Clarke’s stance does not so much involve Greece’s 2-1 win at Wembley in October but the dominant showing of Ivan Jovanovic’s team during the second half on Thursday. Scotland were fortunate to emerge with a lead, courtesy of McTominay’s hotly disputed penalty.
“They will come and play their normal game,” said Clarke of Greece. “They are very good on counterattack, as they were the other night. I think they showed in the game pretty much what their strengths are. Hopefully we uncovered one or two weaknesses we can build on.
“They are a team who play very aggressive football. They want to get forward, they want to score goals. They are not interested in sitting in and defending. There were a couple of times they had everyone in the box then their big goalkeeper catches it and he’s immediately thrown to put us under a counterattack.”
Scotland have placed huge stock in remaining in League A. That much is to their credit; it can cause chastening moments. “We have improved,” insisted the manager. “If you look at the world rankings, it will tell you different. That’s a little anomaly that seems to have popped up with the Nations League. But as a team we have improved and the players have improved at this level too. We understand what it takes to win a game at this level.”
Clarke’s selection conundrum involves who to sacrifice should he restore Ryan Christie to the midfield. Christie was suspended for the first leg but is typically a go-to player for his country. “I’ve seen Ryan a couple of times for Bournemouth,” Clarke explained. “People will tell you that he is playing a slightly deeper role but when you watch Bournemouth play, he is still the one who is leading the high press and is the one that gets after the game and gets forward to the edge of the box.
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“All they have done at Bournemouth is given him a nominal position, if you like, but he plays the same way Ryan plays. It does not matter where you play Ryan on the pitch, he brings energy and quality and that is what he always brings for us as well.” There will also be temptation to field Kieran Tierney, most likely in midfield as opposed to his typical defensive role.
In big-picture terms, Scotland view this clash as significant. They will also face Greece when on World Cup qualification duty. “I want to win this tie and show them that Hampden is a difficult place to come,” Clarke said. “So hopefully it will be a difficult game for them and it is going to be difficult when they come back here in October.”