Kevin Gallacher
Our exclusive Euros columnist says Scotland chose the wrong road
I wish Scotland created as many chances when I played in tournament Finals as they did at the Euros.
If we had gone out without making many opportunities, I would be more worried for the future because that would point up a lack of creativity in the side.
But we created a lot of them, many gilt-edged.
John Mcginn’s miss against Croatia is a great example.
He took it with his left foot, which he favours. But if he had gone with his right, then even if he had mishit it, he would have scored.
Football is a tough examination of technique and spirit, and sometimes you just have to have belief you can achieve what you want to achieve.
Callum Mcgregor showed what is possible when scoring
what turned out to be our only goal of the three games with his weaker foot.
Of course, there were times when we didn’t get the rub of the green, the times when we hit the woodwork or had the ball cleared off the line.
There can be a fine line between success and failure, and ultimately we were unable to do enough to get to the next round.
When we played against England, we proved we have the grit, the determination and the spirit we are famous for.
We got the ball down on the floor, we passed and we moved.
Thatwecamesocloseto beating them lifted the spirits of the nation.
Against Croatia, it was a different story.
Losing Billy Gilmour cost us a lot of movement and as a result, we played a bit flat across the midfield, allowing Croatia’s to outshine us.
Luca Modric’s goal was sublime. How many people can strike the ball from 20 yards with the outside of their boot with pinpoint accuracy to beat the goalkeeper?
But if he was an average footballer then he would not have been voted World Player of the Year a couple of seasons ago!
Their movement showed us up and that was the disappointing thing.
I heard Graeme Souness criticise the fact we went with the long ball too often, and I can see where he is coming from.
If you look at the statistics and the way Scotland has played, I think Lyndon Dykes was winning 40% of all headers in the game.
The nearest to that for any other nation – Kieffer Moore of Wales, who is a big lad as well – was on something like 15%.
That is a significant difference, and it points up the fact we were looking to always go in the air up to big Lyndon.
We were relying on some flick-ons, and some oldfashioned link-up play.
When you watch the other nations at the Euros, there are not a lot of others doing that.
So Graeme’s is a valid point. Yes, you would see that in the 1970s when Liverpool were doing it with Kevin Keegan and John Toshack.
They changed it a bit when they had Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish, and went more to feet.
I think that was Graeme’s point, that tactically when you have big people up front, you don’t necessarily have to go the aerial route.
I just hope we get someone in there, who can score goals. We need someone who can lead the line.
Che Adams is the best option, but for me he needs a second striker alongside him.
It is one thing scoring in friendlies, but in tournaments it is a very-high level and you have to perform. If you underperform – even just a little – you are going to be found out.
Against Croatia, we got found out.
Yes, we have guys who – when they play together and work hard together – get results.
That is fine, but every so often, you need a tiny bit of inspired individualism to create something a little different.
We just never got that.