Steve Clarke admits Scotland’s savaging from Ireland has created a Nations League win-or-bust scenario against Armenia.
The Scotland boss broke the habit of a lifetime by conceding anything less than a win in Yerevan will do after a three-goal horror show in Dublin on Saturday had the Tartan Army booing his side off the pitch.
Defeat to the previously winless Irish has dented Scotland’s Group B1 campaign and Clarke knows the shocker is another huge setback on the back of failure against Ukraine in the World Cup play-off semi-final.
He said: “We have to win in Armenia, it’s that simple now.
“It might be an ugly one or might be a pretty one – but we need to win.
“Must-wins are not really in my vocabulary, but we have to bounce back from what’s been another disappointment.
“For me, the biggest thing is that we had disappointment and then did OK, and then it’s disappointment again.
“I have to analyse that and find out why that happened.”
Clarke also bristled at the suggestion his tactical strategy, team selection and continued deployment of a back three which again went to pieces against the Irish was the cause for Saturday’s shocker and insisted anyone pointing the finger at him are wide of the mark.
He said: “People can pull it apart if they want.
“If they think that’s what was wrong with the game, then I would suggest that maybe they’re not right.
“I back these players 100 per cent because they’ve been fantastic for the country.
“It’s two big blows but sometimes life isn’t always nice all the time and straightforward. We’ll come back.”
As skipper Andy Robertson and his team-mates were put to the sword in Dublin by a side which had never won a Nations League match in 12 previous attempts, Clarke was adamant it wasn’t a career low. But he conceded the poverty of performance caught him by surprise.
He said: “No, I’ve been low before. It was a real disappointing day for us but I’ve had plenty of those in my career.
“The result and the performance, no, no one could see it coming.
“They just have to dig in now and get a result in Armenia on Tuesday. It’s just about getting a win.”
Clarke was adamant that the disappointment against Ukraine which ended hopes of reaching Qatar has not derailed a squad which had been building positive momentum in recent months.
He said: “I don’t think so, I really don’t. I felt the game last Wednesday against Armenia was a good game for them because they were able to dominate possession.
“ Ireland got about us and we couldn’t handle it for some reason, so that’s what I need to go away and look at.”
Clarke and his players beat a hasty retreat up the tunnel when the final whistle blew at the Aviva but the gaffer insisted it wasn’t a case of trying to dodge the abuse which was coming from the outraged Scotland fans.
He said: “I don’t usually go to the fans, no.
“At Hampden I never do any walk of honour or anything like that.
“I have only done it occasionally in away games, but I wanted to be at the side of the pitch to be with my players coming off.”
