THE ITALIAN TAKEOVER: Serie A's growing gang of Scots spells good news for under-fire national head coach Clarke By John Mcgarry Published: 16:38 EDT, 26 August 2024 | Updated: 16:41 EDT, 26 August 2024 e-mail View comments Nine weeks on from a thoroughly miserable night in Stuttgart, the nation is still coming to terms with the way Scotland exited the Euros. With qualification for Germany sealed so early, there was justifiable faith that Steve Clarke’s side could go where none in Dark Blue had gone before. It wasn’t just the fact that the glass ceiling to the knockout stage remained intact.
What riled the enormous travelling support more than anything was the manner in which Scotland were eliminated. An opening night humiliation against hosts Germany preceded a decent point against the Swiss to set up a must-win game against Hungary. Scotland attacked their final group opponent with all the fervour of a mouse.
Clarke pointed his finger at Argentinian referee Facundo Tello when the only person to blame for a witless, conservative display was himself. As he prepares to name his squad for the forthcoming Nations League games with Poland and Portugal, he will surely appreciate that he first has to address the herd of elephants in the room. Steve Clarke will speak for the first time since the Euros when naming his Scotland squad The instant impact made by Che Adams at Torino enhances his claims as first-choice striker McTominay and Gilmour could soon be running Napoli's midfi.