Scotland can reach first World Cup since 1998 but the manager had to read riot act last month even as they won
I
t appears you can be on the brink of reaching your holy grail without many people paying sufficient attention. Scotland’s opportunity for World Cup qualification is their best since 1998, when they last performed on that scene. Theirs is also a scenario that would have been widely welcomed before a ball was kicked.
On the basis Denmark will defeat Belarus, Scotland must take at least a point from Saturday’s clash in Greece. In that event, a win against Denmark at Hampden Park on Tuesday would propel Scotland towards next summer and international football’s top table. Not since 1982 have Scotland’s men played in a World Cup having topped their qualifying group. The team that earned a crucial win against Sweden in September 1981 could afford to be without Graeme Souness. It included Alan Hansen, Kenny Dalglish and Joe Jordan.
The trouble is that the events of October 2025 linger. Scotland were unconvincing in beating Greece 3-1 and awful in their win against Belarus. Steve Clarke, typically an arch defender of his players, let rip in the dressing room during half-time and at full time in the latter game before refusing to mask his frustrations when meeting with the media. The message was simple: that Scotland were in grave danger of passing up this overdue, golden chance. This week Clarke said of his half-time show of anger: “It is something very occasionally as a manager now you can use. It is not something you can use all the time. That just felt like an appropriate moment.” Seasoned professionals quivered.
