Showing in Serbia is nation’s blueprint

STEVE CLARKE has urged his Scotland players to summon the spirit of Serbia as they prepare to kick-off Euro 2020.

A 2pm kick-off against the Czech Republic at Hampden tomorrow will see Scotland compete at a major tournament for the first time in 23 years.

Qualification for the Euros arrived at the end of a tense and energy-sapping November night in Belgrade where Scotland prevailed after a penalty shoot-out.

Clarke regards that display as the best of his two-year tenure.

Scotland dominated and took the lead through Ryan Christie before being pegged back by a stoppagetime equaliser from Lula Jovic.

Encouraged by the evolution of his team, Clarke believes that match showed all the qualities that can make Scotland competitive at the Euros.

He said: ‘We have grown as a squad and that’s why we are here.

‘The most pleasing thing for me was that the best we have played was in the biggest game, in Serbia.

‘That night we showed two sides. First our quality. And then, when we got a setback in the last minute, we showed our grit to get through the extra-time, get it to penalties and get the qualification.

‘That’s the big thing for me about the evolution of this team — that when they had to produce in that game in Belgrade, they produced.’

Clarke admits he is unlikely to name his starting XI until tomorrow morning but has all but settled on his line-up.

He continued: ‘I’ve picked my team except for one position but I’m sure which way I’ll go with it.

‘The players won’t know until the day of the game but the more perceptive ones might work it out.’

Clarke admitted his toughest task will be naming his substitutes for the match, with three of his 26-man squad bound to miss out.

He added: ‘The hardest part is picking the three who don’t make the bench. I try to explain to them that it’s easy picking 11 but then I have to pick a bench.

‘The ones who are disappointed to be subs have to realise that there are three sitting in the stand.

‘Those guys are the ones I feel more sorry for. But we’ve got 26 players and everyone will have a different role within the squad.

‘We don’t know for sure yet what each role is going to be but if they bring their best, we’ve got a chance of being successful.’