Clarke couldn’t be happier with Scots progress
National team manager says clean sheets are key to qualification as goals will come We’ve qualified for a play- off final and won three points
STEVE CLARKE’S start to life in the dugout at Hampden may have been a little slow at first, but the Scotland boss is determined to continue gathering momentum following a run of seven games without defeat.
Critics will argue that the standard of opposition hasn’t been great and that the national team have often toiled to break sides down, but the results speak for themselves: top of their group in the
Nations League, and with the small matter of a Euro 2020 play- off away to Serbia to look forward to next month.
It’s a far cry from the 3- 0 humbling by Kazakhstan in March of last year, considered by many to be the nadir of a national side that’s had its fair share of traumatic and disappointing performances to point to. And while Clarke accepts that there will always be those who will criticise his side’s performances, he is concerned with one thing and one thing only: results.
“If you defend well, you don’t concede many chances and you don’t concede goals for sure,” Clarke said of his team’s recent displays.
“You always have a chance to win the games we proved that one shot on target is enough if you keep a clean sheet.
“Obviously, we would like to have more shots on target, we would like to have more goals.
“But if you look over the last two games it’s one shot on target in two games and we’ve qualified for a play- off final and picked up three points. We are doing something right.”
The 1- 0 win over Slovakia is a game that will not live long in the memory of many supporters but there is one man in particular who will never forget it. At 33, Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine could be forgiven for thinking he would never get the chance to pull on his country’s dark blue jersey.
But with Leeds defender Liam Cooper dropping out the squad with injury, the Dons centre- half was given an opportunity to represent his nation – and Clarke reckons he seized his chance with both hands by putting in an assured display.
“It is always nice with someone like Andrew,” said the Scotland manager. “I think he has played close on 600 games for Aberdeen – 33 years of age, first call- up for the international squad. He probably thought he was coming in as cover for someone.
“Cooper gets himself injured, or does not recover from injury from Thursday night, and Andy gets on the pitch. When you think first cap, first game, first win – a fantastic night for him. Thoroughly deserved.
“Andy was good at the back. Listen, there wasn’t a weakness [ against Slovakia], I don’t think. I thought the team was good, the team shape was good. They made the system work, which is really important for us.”
The game’s defining moment arrived early in the second half, following some neat build- up play between Stephen O’Donnell and Ryan Fraser down the right flank; the Newcastle winger cut the ball back to the Motherwell fullback, who dinked a delightful ball into Lyndon Dykes to convert from close range.
It was far and away the best chance Scotland created on the night and Clarke said he was especially pleased for O’Donnell, who has come in for his fair share of criticism over the last few games.
Clarke explained: “At this level we are used to being much maligned. That is where you are when you manage or coach or play for the national team.
“You know that everybody has an opinion but I know
Stephen very well from my time at Kilmarnock. I know what he can give and I thought his delivery for the goal was fantastic.
“It was a great move with a great connection between him and Ryan Fraser down the right – good running, and then he found that quality cross.
“Everybody gets mixed reviews. Sometimes you get praise, sometimes you get criticised, it’s part and parcel of being involved in football. I have no worries over Stephen.”
On Fraser, who made his first start for Scotland since a 4- 0 defeat to Russia a year ago, Clarke added: “I think he showed what he can bring to the team. He gives us that little bit of spark.
“I thought the connection
between him, John McGinn, Andy Robertson and Lyndon was good. I thought we were decent going forward.
“I know everybody will say we only had one shot on target again, but we created more chances and got into more threatening positions. We created so many chances and kept a clean sheet.”
Attention now turns to tomorrow’s visit of the Czechs, where another Scotland victory would open up a four- point gap at the top of Group B2 with two games left to play, leaving Clarke’s side in the driving seat going into the last international break of the year next month.
Clarke is all too aware of the benefits of a strong Nations League campaign and believes that the prospect of a play- off for a place at the Qatar World Cup is a handy back- up option, should his team fail to make it through the conventional qualification process.
“It is another avenue,” he said. “I think we realise the value of the Nations League because it is an avenue that has given us the chance to play
Serbia in a play- off final.
“It is a competition when we went into the B section we looked at it, we looked at the group and we are determined to give a good account of ourselves. We are determined to finish this month top of the section.”
Considine was similarily delighted. Asked to sum up his debut, the former under- 21 international said: “Emotional, if I am honest with you.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been involved in a Scotland set- up.
“I suppose it’s always believing that one day you would maybe get the call.
“Thirty- three now and getting the call the other day was completely out of the blue but I was over the moon and delighted to be part of such a great win and keep a clean sheet, it was a fantastic night.
“It was very nerve- racking, I’m not going to lie.
“But to have the quality round you, it gets you through the game, with Robbo [ Andy Robertson] on one side of you and big Deccy [ Gallagher], talking me through the game.”