‘Nobody saw it coming’: Steve Clarke searches for answers to Scotland slump

As Steve Clarke stood in a hall within the bowels of the Aviva Stadium on Saturday night, it appeared unimaginable to recall Scotland entered this worldwide window whereas driving the wave of an eight-match unbeaten run.

A painful World Cup exit by the hands of Ukraine – coming earlier than victory over a hapless Armenia workforce – was one factor. Embarrassment towards the Republic of Ireland, who swaggered to a 3-0 victory, fairly one other.

Clarke minimize a extra disconsolate determine than at any level in his three-year tenure. “The result and the performance, no, nobody could see it coming,” stated the Scotland supervisor. “I back these players 100%. I back them 100% because they’ve been fantastic for the country. It’s two big blows but sometimes life isn’t always nice all the time and straightforward. We’ll come back. They just have to dig in now and get a result in Armenia on Tuesday night. It’s just about getting a win.”

It is to Clarke’s credit score that he positioned no focus in any respect on the Dublin efficiency of his gamers. This was, in any case, a collective nightmare. The supervisor may simply have chosen to divert fierce criticism aimed in direction of himself from an indignant Scottish public. “I won’t hear it and I won’t read it,” stated Clarke when requested whether or not he would require the thickest of skins within the coming days.

Questions encompass whether or not the Scots can play successfully with a three-man defence when, as is the case at the moment, Kieran Tierney is lacking by damage. Clarke’s choice of Jack Hendry quite than John Souttar on the proper of that backline regarded an error.

However, the supervisor is adamant issues of particular person personnel and ways weren’t key to the show towards Ireland.

“People can pull it apart If they want,” Clarke stated. “If they think that’s what was wrong with the game then I would suggest that maybe they’re not right.”

Another rationalization could be that the defeat by Ukraine, which ended hopes of a primary Scottish World Cup look since 1998, rocked Clarke’s squad to a larger extent than was thought of on the time.

“I don’t think so, I really don’t,” the supervisor insisted. “I felt the game last Wednesday [against Armenia] was a good game for them because they were able to dominate possession. Ireland got about us and we couldn’t handle it for some reason. So that’s what I need to go away and look at.”

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Onwards to Yerevan, the place something apart from a win on Tuesday is unthinkable for Scotland. Ukraine have already seized the initiative on this Nations League group. “We have to win in Armenia,” Clarke admitted. “It’s that simple now and it might be an ugly one or might be a pretty one – but we need to win. We have to bounce back from what’s been another disappointment.

“For me, the biggest thing is we had disappointment [against Ukraine] and then did OK, and then it’s disappointment again. I have to analyse that and find out why that happened.”

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