We must analyse what’s gone wrong
WE used to be famed for our rocksolid centre-halves. Now, Scottish defenders are slammed as softcentred half-wits.
For Alex McLeish, who stuck his head in where it hurts for his country for 13 years, it’s a sad state of affairs.
Not to put too fine a point on it, our rearguard has made a rear end of things too often.
Gordon Strachan has never hidden from that. But he has never given up on his chosen back line.
And McLeish reckons his old team-mate is right to keep the faith because familiarity breeds defensive mettle.
That he chose not to repeat it in the wake of Sam Allardyce’s ignominious exit was due to another of the philosophies he lives by – don’t stick your nose in other people’s business.
And in a way that was a shame. It was the right reply to the question he was being asked: “What effect will England losing their manager have on Scotland’s chances of qualifying for the 2018World Cup?” Realistically, the answer is none. Their group of players hasn’t changed a jot and is comfortably the strongest in a group which also contains Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta plus Saturday night’s opponents at Hampden, Lithuania.
As cheering as it was to see Scots Keiran Tierney and Craig Gordon advertise their ability against Manchester City in midweek, the most eye-catching talents on show were two Englishmen, Raheem Sterling and Scott Sinclair.
Sinclair, who has been tearing up the Scottish Premiership since his move north, is scoring in every game, yet is unlikely to get a sniff of the England squad. Regardless of who is in charge.
If that doesn’t sound right, a glance at the team line-ups for Allardyce’s only match in charge, the win away against Slovakia, provides illumination.
On the substitutes’ bench in Trnava, Scotland’s destination next week, were JamieVardy, TheoWalcott, Daniel Sturridge and Dele Alli.
And blocking the way for a quartet comfortably worth over £100 million were firstteam starters Sterling, Harry Kane, Adam Lallana and Wayne Rooney.
Managing a country with a population a tenth of the size of England’s and unable to transfer in any players from abroad, Scotland’s national coach has no such headaches about how to keep several marquee talents happy to be a substitute.
Instead, he has to work with what he has got. W hich is summed up by the fact he acknowledges the nation’s hopes for success on Saturday are liable to hinge on Barry Bannan, a 5ft 6in tall Sheffield Wednesday midfielder, who has pushed his way into the team after a long spell out in the cold.
“I think that was maybe because of where he’s been, on the periphery at Aston Villa and Crystal Palace,” said Strachan.
“As a manager, when they’re not getting a full game you sometimes look at that. Alan Hutton is maybe the only one to buck memories, it’s just education.
“What you see with Hanley is he’s a real battler. He’s not the quality of, say, the German centre-halves, but he’s shown a reasonable level for Scotland.
“We just have to look back at the last campaign and some of the goals we conceded, watch the videos and get them analysed to try to tidy up some loose ends and cracks.”
The likes of Hanley, Martin and Gordon Greer have commitment in spades.
But, collectively, they have given the nation more heart attacks than scotch pies and fish suppers combined.