Steve Clarke says his Scotland stars have no problem with the heightened security that has seen armoured military vehicles based outside their team hotel in Turkey and armed guards following their movements.
The country is on high alert after six people were killed and a further 81 injured in a bomb blast in Istanbul on Sunday, which is being blamed on Kurdish militants. Diyarbakir, which will host this evening’s friendly, is a Kurdish stronghold close to the Syrian border. Clarke ’s players were shadowed by military personnel and security guards as they stretched their legs in the city on Tuesday.
The manager said: “First and foremost, your sympathies are with the people and families of all the innocent people who were affected in Istanbul. That would then naturally raise the security level around everybody there. The Scottish national team coming into Turkey, you would expect that extra level of protection – it’s there for a reason and we respect the reason.
