There’s been a great deal of talk around Scotland since the embarrassment of Munich - admirable displays of showing up, taking responsibility, being accountable. There have been meetings, discussions, discussions about meetings; post-match analysis, pre-match analysis, another two press conferences. Five days on from the opening humiliation against hosts Germany and Scotland were starting to struggle finding a new way to say they’d failed to show up on the opening night of Euro 2024. Finally, the captain Andy Robertson announced the time for talking was over. “We need action,” he declared.
As a result of their goal difference taking a battering against Germany, there is jeopardy ahead of facing Switzerland tonight. Steve Clarke’s side require four points from their remaining two games of Group A and will be all but out should they lose in Cologne; at the very least, it would require Scotland to beat Hungary in their final fixture of the group by five or six. It’s as simple as that, while the challenge of lifting the spirits of his players has been one of nuance for Clarke. The Scotland manager has been going around his squad “kicking backsides and giving cuddles” as he assesses what is needed ahead of facing a confident Switzerland team fresh off an impressive win over Hungary.
