Clarke is searching high and low for a cure to the Tartan Army’s apathy
Steve Clarke has admitted the task of curing the Tartan Army’s crisis of confidence lies squarely on his shoulders.
Beaten at Hampden by Russia on Friday night, Scotland would now require a miracle to qualify for Euro 2020 by the traditional route.
Mathematically it might remain possible, but all logic points to the remaining five games in Group, including tomorrow’s visit of world No. 1-ranked Belgium to Glasgow, being preparation for the Nations League play-offs.
To be held in March 2020, they offer the country an attractive, if complicated, back-door route to the Euros.
Put simply, beat Bulgaria at Hampden in the semi-final then either Serbia or Norway in a venue to be determined in a oneoff final and the two-decade long wait to get back to a major final will be over.
Priority one for the new manager, is to galvanise a support that has become disillusioned and, increasingly, disengaged after a long succession of wearying setbacks.
“We have to lift the apathy, it won’t lift itself,” said Clarke, whose disappointment and frustration at Friday’s failure was etched in the lines of his face.
“As a collective: the coaching staff, the players and I have to give the fans something to make them want to be at our games again.
“They will only come if we give them something to shout about.
“The crowd might be smaller on Monday, but if we can get a good result then maybe the next time we will get a few more.
“We have to give the supporters a sign that we’re going to be a good team in the future.
“You read things and speak to people, and the sense you get is that people become resigned to not qualifying.
“I think the attitude is ‘typical Scotland’ because we gave people hope on Friday, we started well and then went in front.
“At that stage people were probably thinking ‘we might do alright here’ and then suddenly the game runs away again.
“I can imagine people just thinking, ‘not again!’, so we have to change that and the only way to do it is to get a big win.
“Can we do it? Why not? We have to try.
“We have to believe we can do it. If I sit here and think we can’t do it, then what do I say to the players.
“I believe we can do it and we all have to go into the game believing we can do it.
“You are never going to erase all the disappointment because it was a pivotal game in the group, but we have a chance to go away from the camp in a more positive frame of mind and looking forward to the two games next month.”
While the national coach has no choice but to ask and urge his players to keep chasing points in the hope of what would be a near astonishing qualification from the group, he is also turning his attention to the tweaks that would give Scotland their best chance in the Nations League ties.
Specifically in relation to the Russia loss, how to balance a midfield which is adding to up less than the sum of its parts.
“They are all good footballers but we need to find someone in there with a bit more defensive nous,” he said.
“When Kenny McLean went on, it helped and suited the midfield quite well and that is something I will have to think about in the future.
“We’ll need to find a formula that gets us the best players on the pitch and the best way of playing.”
For tomorrow night, expect Ryan Christie, who Clarke is a big fan of yet has little time to work with, to be given a start playing in the number ten role behind the strikers.
McLean who finished the match on Friday likewise looks good to get an early involvement while Oliver McBurnie, who picked up a knock early in the game, should be fine to lead the line.
More important than personnel, though, will be performance.
As Clarke acknowledged, a nation, which has come to expect the worse, needs lifted and lifted now.
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez insists he takes full responsibility for an “unacceptable” showing against the minnows of San Marino.
The Red Devils maintained their 100% record in Group I after registering a 4-0 triumph in Serraville on Friday night – however, they were widely criticised for a meek showing against the minnows.
It took 43 minutes for them to break the deadlock, courtesy of a Michy Batshuayi penalty, before they made the game safe after the break.
Belgium looked out of sorts without the attacking talents of the Hazard brothers, Eden and Thorgan, while Martinez started Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku on the bench.
And the former Everton boss faced tough questions, despite the ultimately comfortable victory.
He said: “It wasn’t good in the first half, certainly not for a team of our level.
“Our performance did not come close to being acceptable and that’s my fault.
“I played players in positions that they were not comfortable in and that is why the game was scrappy and we became frustrated.
“That was not the right attitude against a defensive team like San Marino
“It did not go smoothly at all and I learned a lot about my players. But, again, I take responsibility.”
The omission of former Manchester United frontman Lukaku – who did not get introduced off the bench – raised more than a few eyebrows following his fine start to the season with Inter Milan, notching two goals in his first two Serie A fixtures.
However, Martinez confirmed he was keen to rest the imposing marksman and, ominously for Scotland, revealed he will feature at Hampden Park on Monday night.
He added: “Lukaku had a difficult summer and I didn’t want him to play two games in four days.
“I don’t think it was a good idea to let him play against San Marino – but Romelu will play against Scotland.”
Meanwhile, Jan Vertonghen has warned Scotland that Belgium, who have won all five of their qualifying matches so far, scoring 15 goals and conceding just one, will be out to make amends when they arrive at Hampden on Monday.
The Tottenham Hotspur defender said: “It was a seriously strange match against San Marino.
“The first half was difficult and maybe we underestimated the challenge.
“Before kick-off we thought: ‘Good pitch, perfect conditions, this should be fine’.
“But they defended deep, slowed the game down and we played at that pace.
“We were playing too much as individuals. You look at each other for a moment and think: ‘How is this possible?’
“The team performance was certainly not good, but we shouldn’t be too dramatic about it.
“Weareatthetopofthegroupandthe three points arrived in the end.
“We now have an important match coming up on Monday against Scotland and it is the time to respond, perform to our true capabilities and take an important step towards the European Championships.”
▪ Scotland, meanwhile, will hope the appointment of referee Pawel Gil proves to be a good omen after the Polish referee took charge of European victories for Celtic and Rangers last season.
The 43-year-old, Lubin-born official, will be the man in the middle for the visit of Belgium tomorrow, with Steve Clarke’s charges in desperate need of a win to keep their slim qualification hopes alive.
He is no stranger to Glasgow after overseeing Celtic’s Europa League group phase triumph against Rosenborg last September.
An 87th-minute header from Leigh Griffiths – omitted from the Scotland squad for these fixtures – secured a 1-0 victory.
Gil also took charge of the Gers’ hardfought 1-0 success against Croatian cracks Osijek in the Europa League second qualifying round, with Alfredo Morelos bagging the decisive strike.
Gil’s compatriots Konrad Sapela and Marcin Borkowski will run the line at Hampden, with Pawel Raczkowski acting as fourth official.