IT would maybe be understandable if Steve Clarke privately yearned for a few easier games against lesser football nations given the bruising matches Scotland have had against the international game’s elite during the past year or so.
The national team has suffered losses to Spain, Germany, Poland, Portugal and Croatia since they last won a competitive fixture against Cyprus away back in September last year.
On top of those reverses, they have also been humbled by England, France and the Netherlands in friendlies during the last 14 months.
However, Clarke visibly bristled when it was suggested to him that being relegated to League B of the Nations League might not be the worse thing for the country as he announced his 25 man squad for the League A Group 1 matches against Croatia and Poland at Hampden yesterday.
“Why would you want to drop down?” he said. “We've worked ever so hard to get to this level, so we want to stay there as long as we can. That's always got to be your aim, to play at the highest level possible.”
“So drop down because you think you're inferior? Or try and push yourself against the top sides? For me it's pushing yourself against the top sides every time.”
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Scotland have, despite losing to Poland at home and Portugal and Croatia away, shown tangible signs of improvement since returning to action after a bitterly disappointing Euro 2024 finals in Germany this summer. The goalless draw they ground out with Portugal in Glasgow last month was certainly a step in the right direction.
Clarke is convinced those displays were a consequence of taking on the best in the world and is hopeful that there will be more strides forward made in the seasons ahead if they continue to face such illustrious opposition.
“We've shown that we can compete at this level,” he said. “What we have to do is learn how to get results at this level. We did that against Portugal in the last one.
“It probably wasn't our best performance with the ball, but without the ball we showed that if you defend well, if you don't give away cheap chances and if you don't make two or three small mistakes in one action, you're not going to concede goals. If you don't concede goals, you've always got a chance to win games.
“This run of games, no wins, you can turn it any way you want. For me, we're improving, we're getting better, and we understand at this level what you have to do to get points on the board.
“You get punished at this level if you don't do things properly. With and without the ball, you get punished. So we look to improve all the time. And if you don't improve, then obviously you won't stay at this level. So let's work as hard as we can to stay at this level and keep improving.”
A more realistic prospect, though, is coming third and going into a two-legged play-off with one of the second placed teams in the B League in March.
Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna and John McGinn, who have all been automatic starters for Clarke when fit, returning to the squad for this double header has increased their prospects of staying up.
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“It's always good to get the players back,” he said. “They're a little bit more regular around the squad. Listen, the boys that came in last month did a good job, but I'm pleased to have some of the boys back. It's good to have John back certainly. He’s obviously a big character in the camp and also a big player for his own pitch.
“I think over the course of the section, the four games we've played, the performances have been pretty good. We haven't had the points return that we wanted, but it was nice to get one point on the board and hopefully this month we can add a few more.
“We just focus on ourselves, try and play as well as we can. Like I said, we've always tried to measure ourselves against the top sides. Croatia at home, Poland away will be two difficult matches. But, like I said, if we can reach the levels that we've reached over the previous four games, hopefully we can pick up a few more points.”
The impact which Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay have made since they moved to Napoli in Italy this summer – Gli Azzurri are a point clear at the top of Serie A after 11 fixtures – has pleased Clarke enormously.
“It's great when you see all your players doing well,” he said. “Scott's gone out there, he's hit the ground running and he's been a big player for them. So long may it continue, because he's also a big player for us.”
Seeing Lewis Ferguson make his comeback for Bologna in their 1-0 triumph over Lecce on Saturday was also encouraging for the Scotland manager. But he stressed that he would, with the World Cup qualifying campaign getting underway next year, be careful to rush any of his long-term absentees.
“It's good obviously for Lewis with him coming back after the injury he's had. But it's about managing it properly, getting the right minutes on the pitch. I'm sure his club will look after him on his return to play.”
Clarke sprang something of a surprise yesterday when he called up Ipswich Town keeper Cieran Slicker. But the 22-year-ld is very much one for the future.
“It's just a chance for us to look at Cieran up close and personal in the camp,” he said. “I've been rotating the goalkeepers a little bit through so that we can look at different people. Cieran's now out of the under-21 group, so it's a chance for myself and my coaches to have a look at him.
“For everybody it's important that they recognise there's a pathway from the under-21s into the senior squad. I've always tried to show that we can do that and Cieran's another one on the list.
“In the squad now we've got Connor Barron, we've got Ben Doak, you've still got Tommy Conway. We're showing that there is a pathway, and we need to look for the next generation as well.”
