Gaffer won’t pin his hopes on point tally
Steve Clarke is convinced Scotland can pick up enough points against Russia and Belgium to keep our Euro 2020 hopes alive.
Over the next six weeks, Clarke’s men face the World Cup quarter-finalists twice and FIFA’s top-ranked side at Hampden.
The Scots must beat the Russians at least once to have a genuine chance of finishing in the top two of Group One with Roberto Martínez’s Belgian superstars.
Clarke is refusing to set himself a points target for the next three games. But he admits that the outcome of these fixtures – starting with a double-header in Glasgow – will ultimately decide their fate.
He said: “Would four points from the three games be a good return? Nine would be better. It’s difficult to say. If we go down a route of saying we must get this – then don’t – you end up disappointing yourself.
“Everyone will say, that’s us done. But you never know what will happen in the next few games. Maybe if we get X amount of points and think that’s it, then Russia will trip up somewhere else.
“So instead of heaping pressure on ourselves, let’s just try and get as many points as we can. Get to the other side of these games with enough points to still be in contention. Then we’ll attack the last three games with relish and see if we can get out the group. That has to be the aim.
“I wouldn’t say it helps us that we’re not expected to win these next two games.
“That’s because we’re going to put ourselves under pressure to get points.
“In the next three – Russia and Belgium at home then Russia away – however many points we get will determine whether the last three group games are about pushing to qualify or preparing for the play-offs.”