SM
Spurs vs. Man United: 8 hrs 9 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Scotland

Steve Clarke: 'Scotland hopefuls must be ready for call-up'

:Headline: Steve Clarke: 'Scotland hopefuls must be ready for call-up': ID:418444: from db_amp
Steve Clarke knows an increased squad will be needed.

Steve Clarke has told all Scottish players with international aspirations to be ready to answer the call following the 1-0 win over Czech Republic on Wednesday night.

Coronavirus issues meant Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie were missing with skipper Andy Robertson suspended and James Forrest injured ahead of the Nations League match at Hampden Park, the third international at the stadium in a week.

Following his debut in the 1-0 win over Slovakia on Sunday after being called up at the age of 33, Aberdeen defender Andy Considine earned his second cap and Hibernian defender Paul Hanlon, drafted in before the Czech game, came on as a second-half substitute to make his bow and help the Scots hold on to the lead given to them in the sixth minute by Ryan Fraser.

Scotland are top of Nations League Group B2 with 10 points from four fixtures and are enjoying their longest unbeaten run since 1988 ahead of the Euro 2020 play-off final in Serbia next month before games against Slovakia and Israel away.

Clarke said: "The boys who have been in the squad this time have been great.

"Everyone talks about the people that dropped out from the original squad and I lost a lot of players but the boys that came in have been great.

"The call-ups that sort of came from nowhere if you like, Andy Considine, two great games at 33 years of age. On Saturday he didn't have any caps, now he has two.

"Paul Hanlon at 31 came into the group, no training really with the squad, comes on to the pitch and gets a cap.

Veteran defender Andrew Considine now has two caps for Scotland (Steve Welsh/PA)

"So I think that sends a message to everybody at this time especially, with so many possible drop-outs, everyone has got be ready to help us.

"We need all the players in the squad to be active, ready to go, ready to help us.

"The core of the group who have been with me from the very start, are also important because they've bought into the message. Anybody who joins the squad gets the same message.

"You have seen the togetherness and the fight. OK, we rode our luck a couple of times but you get that luck when the players work as hard as they did."

“I think that sends a message to everybody at this time especially, with so many possible drop-outs, everyone has got be ready to help us”
- Steve Clarke

Clarke believes it is "a big compliment to the league" to have players like Considine and Hanlon along with Motherwell duo Declan Gallagher and Stephen O'Donnell in the squad and finishing the game against a more than decent Czech side.

The former Kilmarnock and West Brom boss said: "One of the first things I said was that Scottish football needs to learn to sell itself a little bit better.

"Good players up here, good talent and good competitors.

"And that's one of the things that we've got back, we've got back that Scottish spirit, where you don't want to get beat, you're digging in.

"Teams are coming to Hampden and we want to make it as difficult as possible for them.

"That's what we want to do, we want people to think 'oh, Scotland at Hampden' so hopefully this month has helped us with that.

"As a nation that's what Scotland has always had, they had a little bit of flair, flair players, but they've also had that little bit where they don't like to get beat.

"Hopefully we have reinstalled that into the squad after a run of eight games without a defeat."

amp_article__418444 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2020-10-15 12:37:27:
html db last update - 2020-10-15 12:37:27 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Steve Clarke

Click here for more stories about Scotland

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .