Gordon Strachan left his position as Scotland head coach on this day in 2017, with hopes of World Cup qualification in tatters.
Four days earlier, Strachan had led Scotland into a do-or-die battle with Slovenia knowing victory would secure a play-off berth behind Group F winners England, but equally aware anything less would prove fatal to their chances of making it to the finals in Russia and ending their 20-year exile from the biggest stage.
A last-gasp home victory over Slovakia in their penultimate qualifier – secured by Martin Skrtel’s 89th-minute own goal – had sent the Scots to Ljubljana in expectant mood.
On the eve of the game, Strachan, who had succeeded Craig Levein in January 2013, said: “Anywhere where we have gone over the last couple of days, as a group or as individuals, we know how important it is to everybody.
“We know how important it is to everybody because we are all getting texts from our friends wishing us good luck, emails from people we have not heard from in a wee while. We know that.”
On the night, Leigh Griffiths’ first-half goal put the visitors in front, but Roman Bezjak’s double after the break ensured a late equaliser from Robert Snodgrass counted for little as a 2-2 draw, combined with Slovakia’s 3-0 win over Malta, mean Scotland missed out on the play-offs by virtue of goal difference.
In the immediate aftermath, Strachan, whose team had also come up short in their quest to make it to the finals of Euro 2016, bemoaned Scotland’s genetic shortcomings as he sought answers to their disappointment.
Maybe we get big women and men together and see what we can do.— Gordon Strachan
He said: “Genetically we are behind. In the last campaign, we were the second smallest, apart from Spain. We had to pick a team to combat the height and strength at set-plays. Genetically we have to work at things – maybe we get big women and men together and see what we can do.”
As Strachan’s bosses assessed the way forward, there was a school of thought which held that a six-game unbeaten run in qualification justified an extension to the contract which was due to expire the following month.
Ultimately, the two parties opted for change and it was Alex McLeish who eventually took up the role for the second time after Michael O’Neill had rejected the opportunity.
