Steve Clarke anticipates a "big reaction" from Scotland in their UEFA Nations League opener against Poland at Hampden Park on Thursday, noting a "nice freshness" in his squad.
The national team boss acknowledged that while he hinted at a new direction before the Euro 2024 finals this summer, the current changes are more significant due to injuries and withdrawals. Plus influential midfielder Callum McGregor has since announced his retirement from international football.
This week, Clarke confirmed the loss of Che Adams to injury, along with Celtic players Greg Taylor and James Forrest, and goalkeeper Robby McCrorie.
He's been forced to dip into the Under-21s for replacements, with Connor Barron and Josh Doig among the new faces. While Ryan Gauld is included in the squad for the first time under Clarke's tenure.
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"I didn’t envisage so many injury issues, so many call-offs but that’s given us a freshness that's maybe more than it would've been had I had everybody fit and available, but it’s still a nice freshness," Clarke said as he discussed Scotland's injury-ravaged preparations.
"The young boys that have come into the squad, they've brought that enthusiasm, that breath of fresh air that galvanises and gives the senior players that little bit more life.
"For the players that have been playing at the start of the season for their club, they've got a little bit of freshness about them. For me it’s been a long summer and I look forward to the game to see what we get from the players, which I'm sure will be a big reaction.
"It's been a good couple of days, but we want to make it better."
"It’s important that we respect the core group who have managed to qualify for back-to-back European tournaments, but within that core group, you have to try and add a little bit more, and hopefully we add something that makes us better," he added.
"It’s not going to happen overnight, it’s not going to happen across the two games we are going to play now.
"But I am looking at this campaign in the Nations League and thinking, ‘This is the chance to try and evolve the group’ so when we do get to the World Cup qualifiers we are in a better shape, ready to go again and ready to qualify for our third tournament out of four.
"It's evolution, not revolution."
