VIENNA VICTORY PROVED ALL SCOTS NEED IS CONSISTENCY

STEVE CLARKE was wrong to make a point, in the wake of Scotland’s fine win over Austria, of saying that some people in the country don’t believe in his squad of players.

If anything, the opposite is true. In terms of the leagues and levels they are performing at, this is the strongest squad we’ve had for some time.

The disquiet came from too often watching them fail to deliver what they are capable of.

From watching them lump it long against the Czechs in the Euros and then stand off Croatia.

Tuesday in Vienna showed what these players are capable of.

Just as the Euro 2020 play-off triumph in Serbia did. As did a draw at Wembley against eventual finalists England.

The SFA’s decision to give Clarke a new contract before the recent triple-header of World

Cup qualifiers seemed premature, but can no longer be a bone of contention.

He has shown, through getting the team into the box seat for a play-off place, that there is reason to believe he can still make progress.

There are more good young players capable of coming in and making his squad stronger, too, such as Bologna’s Aaron Hickey and maybe even Ryan Gauld at Vancouver.

What’s needed now, as Clarke carries on with stage two of his reign as Scotland boss, is consistency.

Get that and there will be no need for the siege mentality.

Everyone wants to see these Scotland players do what they did in Austria.

We just want to see them do it with greater regularity. Because, whatever the boss suggests, we know in our hearts that they’ve got it in them.