Hampden doubt for boss Clarke
Scotland’s opening World Cup qualifier at home to Austria on March 25 could be switched to a neutral venue.
With 18 of the Austrian squad playing for Bundesliga clubs, strict rules on travel between Germany and Britain could see them forced to stay at home.
A decision is expected this week.
Scotland’s opening World Cup opponents, Austria, will decide this week whether to demand the Hampden tie is switched to a neutral venue because they could be minus up to 18 players who are with German clubs.
The Austrians’ plans for the match on March 25 have been decimated because German authorities have completely banned any movement between their country and the UK without a 14-day quarantine on return.
No club will entertain that, and there are no exemptions, even for elite sportsmen.
Austria had 18 Germanbased players in their last squad, and the issue is further complicated by the fact the Austrian FA would have to negotiate with seven different German regions, who each have their own regulations.
So they will decide this week whether to lodge a request with FIFA and UEFA that the Scotland game be moved to a neutral venue.
Two qualifiers have already been moved due to Covid restrictions – Portugal v Azerbaijan will now be played in Turin, and Norway v Turkey will be played in Malaga.
Already, Eintracht Frankfurt have confirmed they will not release Martin Hinteregger and Stefan Ilsanker to play in Glasgow.
The Austrian FA are weighing up the decision against the fact they would almost certainly have to concede home advantage for their game against us on September 7, planned for Vienna, which would deny them valuable income.
If they go ahead with the tie at Hampden, they would almost certainly have to pick a home-based squad.
Their last squad in November for matches against Luxembourg, Northern Ireland and Norway had only eight players based in Austria – and three of them were keepers.
Austrian FA managing director, Bernhard Neuhold, said: “We are in close dialogue with the clubs concerned, who in turn are in contact with the respective health authorities.
“There are no hard-and-fast rules set by UEFA and FIFA about switching venues. We will shortly make a decision.”
SFA bosses have so far not received any official request for a venue change, but they are aware of the possibility.
David Carson insists Caley Thistle’s managerial upheaval cannot be held up as an excuse for their winless run.
Before a far better performance in Friday night’s 0-0 draw at home to Raith, the Highlanders had plummeted into the relegation play-off zone on the back of a dismal defeat to Morton.
With John Robertson on compassionate leave, Neil McCann has stepped in as caretaker for an uncertain period of time.
In an already bizarre, Covid-19 hit campaign, the development only added to the challenge for an Inverness side tipped for the promotion play-offs at the start of the season.
Carson, outstanding in a makeshift right-back role on Friday, acknowledges the unusual circumstances, but isn’t seeking to shift blame for poor form.
McCann’s start reads three draws and two defeats, with shared spoils against Hearts and Raith marking the high points in performances.
Carson, though, is confident better lies ahead. He said: “It is always going to be difficult when someone new comes in to take charge in the middle of a season.
“When the new gaffer came in it was not exactly a fresh slate for the boys, but something to adapt to. He plays it his way.
“It has been hard, but we’re not using the situation as an excuse.
“The club did brilliantly to get Neil McCann in and we trust that, if we give him everything we have, the new twist he’s put on it will get us out of trouble and move us up the table.
“We haven’t got the results straight away, but there’s a huge pressure of games and, with recovery, not a lot of time on the training ground.
“We’re really just getting one session before a game. Everyone’s got to work hard, dig in and make sure we get ourselves out of this situation.”
“We should be at the other end of the table. But that was the real Inverness out there on Friday evening. That’s much more like what we’re capable of.
“When we perform, we can outplay teams, but we just need to stick together and maybe get that little bit of luck next time.
“We move on to Tuesday after what feels like a defeat – we should have won the game – but we can take the positives from the performance.”