Uruguay in 1986, Morocco in 1998, and Croatia in 2021. Scotland may now add Hungary’s Euro 2024 defeat to its long series of spectacular collapses at key international tournaments.

Steve Clarke was aware that victory versus Hungary would put the country on four points, all but guaranteeing a spot in the round of sixteen, and put a stop to a string of group stage exits dating back to the World Cup of 1954.

But his strategies were completely misguided; in a match that begged for the Scots to attack the Hungarian goal with a more fluid shape, they opened out with a 5-4-1.

The pudding has the proof. Scotland only mustered one shot on goal throughout the whole ninety minutes, and it was in extra time at the end of the game. Nevertheless, they might have received a penalty to advance.

The job of leading the line fell to Che Adams, although he wasn’t very good and didn’t play well.

The Southampton striker was expected to be quiet when Clarke unleashed him against the Hungarians because he had not scored in either of the team’s previous two group matches.

Adams failed to provide any significant attacking contribution in his 76 minutes on the pitch, managing just 11 passes, winning two duels, losing possession nine times, and managing just one shot that was well off goal.

This was a game that was desperate for a proper number nine to be let loose in the box and given chances to score. Why then, was Lawrence Shankland not brought on until the 76th minute?

The case for Shankland to start 

During the 2023/24 season for Hearts, Shankland had scored 31 goals while chipping in with eight assists across all competitions.

An incredible comeback strengthened his arguments for starting striker at the European Championship. He has undoubtedly had a motive for being constantly associated with the Rangers in recent months.

Unfortunately for the great 14-cap player, Clarke’s more practical approach hurt Scotland against Hungary as well as Switzerland.

The 28-year-old immediately proved to be a greater threat than Adams when he came off the bench on Sunday night. He won all of his aerial duels, made one crucial pass, and tried a dribble in the closing third.

Shankland entered the game, changing the team chemistry and making Scotland appear even more dangerous when the final whistle blew.

 

While he may not have the same work rate as Adams, in a game where three points were a necessity, surely unleashing the top goalscorer in Scotland would have been the most logical option?

Alas, Euro 2024 will go down as yet another failure in Scotland’s history at major international tournaments, one that will hopefully spring positive change going forward.

Clarke has accomplished amazing feats with this team. However, the goal at this point is to play well in the competitions and advance to the knockout stages rather than to qualify for them.

In two years, the nation might break an almost three-decade wait to play in the World Cup. By then, something has to change if Clarke is still in charge; otherwise, the same thing will happen: weeks of build-up, followed by yet another instance of spectacular failure.

In their second Euro 2024 Group A match, the Scots face the Swiss in Cologne in a game that might decide their fate.

Steve Clarke froze in place, gazing up at Germany’s highest mountain for a brief time as he took in the scenery.

In the picture-perfect ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Mount Zugspitze stands over Scotland’s training base. On a clear day like today, which there haven’t been many of these past few days, it is breathtakingly beautiful.

“This place is truly lovely, isn’t it?” remarked Scotland’s manager as the two of us took a quick stroll from the media centre to our separate hotels. There was just no way not to agree. Clarke said, winking and just barely grinning, “Well, let’s stay for a wee while longer then, eh?”

And as the realisation dawned, the national team manager may never have been more focused or assured than he is at this moment, ahead of a game that may perhaps define his entire career in the position.

Even if the crushing defeat they inflicted on Germany on the first night should have left them for dead, Clarke and his team will still be in the running for this tournament if they defeat Switzerland or even manage a draw against them in Cologne.

However, after spending the weekend back at the squad’s Bavarian base camp, Clarke seems to have slipped into an almost zen-like frame of mind. Over the course of Saturday, he booted some assholes and put an arm around some shoulders on Sunday after that enigmatic, horrifying malfunction in Munich.

Most importantly, though, is that Clarke seems to have found his own sense of self-belief again, even though the rest of the nation is still struggling with sentiments of significant doubt.

And, heaven forbid, a few of his own players as well.
When asked if the 5-1 drubbing at the Allianz, along with a dismal run of games leading up to this summer’s finals, would have given his team an inferiority complex at the worst possible time and place, Clarke responded coolly and said, “Maybe.”

“But we don’t have much time to get that back,” he continued. He’s also not joking.

Scotland, still nursing injuries, took off for a journey into Germany’s northwest yesterday, aware that they would not be able to survive another Group A loss in as many days.

Despite this, it seems as though Clarke is privy to information that the rest of us are not.

In order to restore their confidence, he went on, “it’s all about working on the mind. After that, we have to make sure that our tactics, bodies on the pitch, and style of play are all correct. That can instill a small amount of belief in them.

Naturally, we also want to get off to a strong start in the game, as we were not the best at it the other night. These tiny things can all add up. A professional football player who knows he’s a good player quickly regains his confidence.

We’ll be alright even if he appears a little nervous at first, as long as we play the Swiss game well and take appropriate action.

Either under dire circumstances or when a catastrophe seems imminent, he makes an excellent man manager. Or he’s a brilliant bluffer. We won’t have to wait long to find out in either case.

“We are chasing the clock on this one because the games come around so quickly,” admitted Clarke. However, we are fortunate to have an extra day to prepare because we were the first to play on Friday night.

This allows us a little more time to consider and refine our previous work before being ready for the next task. Thus, that works in our favour.

Since most of us have known one other for a very long time, it doesn’t take much to recall our goals and methods. Together, we don’t have any problems. I wouldn’t be seated here and the team would be led by someone else if we couldn’t collaborate effectively.

It will be someone else’s turn sooner than Clarke expects if he makes the same mistakes he did in Munich.

For example, considering the incomprehensible fashion in which Scotland gave over all midfield to their hosts, it is hard to imagine Billy Gilmour ever being the manager’s bench again.

But is Clarke prepared to acknowledge that that particular choice was the primary cause of that heartbreaking loss?

Alright, no. Not really.

With a shake of his head, Clarke stated, “It is tough to respond,” going on to say, “Is one guy really going to make that amount of difference in a 5-1 game where we were never in the game? Perhaps we are just placing too much pressure on Billy by bringing up the subject in that particular circumstance.

“Leave him enter the following game with a clear head if he is chosen. It is challenging. You are free to express yourself, and I will state that I don’t believe it changed anything. “Yes, it did make a difference,” you may respond. But regardless of how it turns out, we will never know the truth.

In actuality, though, all we know is that Switzerland entered the match on an unexpected high after surprising everyone by defeating Hungary 3-1 on Saturday to start their European campaign.

Even though they had a difficult time reaching to these finals, they are now seasoned tournament players and are already looking forward to the knockout phases, which usually occur for them on a clockwise basis.

“I thought they were really good the other night,” Clarke remarked. They seemed fine to me when I observed them in qualifying. They fulfilled the requirements.

You forget about Switzerland for a little while. They are, however, repeat qualifiers. And very invariably in the last eight or sixteen. They’re capable of doing it. They are aware of what to do.

They have speed up front and a fairly solid spine running through the middle of the club. This will be a challenging game.

When it was pointed out to Clarke, rather grimly, that Switzerland nearly always makes it to the final 16, that knowing smile almost burst out again.

With a nod, he acknowledged that it was true. So let’s endeavour to emulate Switzerland more!

Does that sound like a man who is prepared to leave and return home now?