When Steve Clarke was asked whether he deserves the chance to stay on as Scotland manager after their Euro 2024 exit last night, a baffled look clouded over his face.
“Strange question,” he said. “Really strange question.”
Clarke was understandably prickly, feeling his side were denied a stonewall penalty before Kevin Csoboth’s 100th-minute goal for Hungary sent them home, but he must get used to questions about his future. His side depart with a solitary point, and their campaign ended with a whimper as they fell flat in Stuttgart.
The anger among Scotland fans on their way out of the ground was palpable, plenty feeling Clarke failed to get the best out of his players in Germany.
Last week’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland gave hope but was bookended by dismal defeats by Germany and Hungary in which Scotland’s defending was questionable and their attacking end-product was limp. Clarke has done an excellent job, leading the Scots to Euro 2020 and Euro 2024. But they have now won just one of their past 12 matches — a friendly against Gibraltar — and look a far cry from the side that beat Spain and Norway in qualifying.
They were, without doubt, denied a clear penalty at 0-0 last night when Willi Orban tripped Stuart Armstrong. But in the end they paid for their lack of quality.
Captain Andy Robertson felt his side needed a “cutting edge.” After zero shots on target in 103 minutes last night, he was right.
Scotland badly missed injured first-choice striker Lyndon Dykes. Che Adams did his best but was isolated in all three games. Their 17 shots across three games was the lowest of any team in Euros group-stage history.
The Scots produced too little and conceded too much. A 12th major tournament ended in a 12th group-stage exit. “We’re gutted,” said Robertson. “Thank you to the country, and sorry for letting you down.”
