THERE are still another six months to go until Scotland get their bid to reach next year’s World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States underway and much can and most probably will happen during that time.
The national team will take to the field in their Group C opener in September with serious doubts about their ability to qualify for another major tournament regardless of who is involved following this harrowing capitulation to Greece at Hampden tonight.
Steve Clarke’s men, who were leading 1-0 from the first leg of the Nations League promotion-relegation play-off in Piraeus on Thursday night, crashed to a dire 3-0 home defeat in front of a sell-out crowd to surrender their place among the competition’s elite.
Ivan Jovanovic’s charges deservedly moved up a division thanks to first half goals from Giannis Konstantelias and Kostas Karetsas and a second half strike from Christos Tzolis.
Scotland, who had secured a play-off place thanks to a draw with Portugal and wins over Croatia and Poland last year, were lamentable from start to finish and deserved the abuse which their own fans aimed in their direction at the final whistle. Here are five talking points from a wretched night for the country.
Greats remembered
Legendary Scotland striker Denis Law, the country’s joint top scorer alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish, was honoured in the first international to be played at Hampden since his sad passing back in January.
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A film of his most memorable goals for club and country was shown on the giant screens, his granddaughter Isla led the national side onto the pitch and there was a giant tifo in tribute to the one-time Ballon D’Or in the North Stand before kick-off.
But the best was to come as the teams lined the centre circle – his good friend and fellow Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson held up a dark blue No 10 jersey at the side of the pitch as the supporters and his family stood and clapped for a minute. There was not a dry eye inside the ground when the action commenced.
Davie Cooper, the former Clydebank, Rangers, Motherwell and Scotland winger who died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage on this day 30 years ago, was also remembered. His image sparked warm applause from spectators when it was flashed up.
Could Andy Robertson and his team mates show the same killer instincts up front as The Lawman or deliver a killer cross into the opposition penalty box the way that Coops used to in his pomp? Alas, they very much could not.
Profligate Scots
Scotland had no difficulty creating chances when hostilities commenced. Che Adams had what appeared to be a strong appeal for a penalty waved away by Italian referee Davide Massa early on after he went to ground following a challenge by Giorgis Vagiannidis. Replays showed the match official made the correct call.
Scott McTominay had a gilt-edged chance to level after Kenny McLean had split the Greek defence with a first-time through ball. The Napoli midfielder got his attempt on target, but goalkeeper Kostas Tzilakis blocked it. He forced his opponent into action again soon after, but once again he was denied.
McTominay supplied McGinn in a dangerous position in the visitors’ area on the half hour mark and the Aston Villa midfielder got a powerful first-time shot away. Tzolakis, though, was well-positioned once again. The lack of a top level predator continues to hamper the country.
Remember the name
Karetsas left Craig Gordon with no chance after being supplied by Konstantelias in the Scotland penalty box three minutes before half-time. He curled a sweet left foot effort beyond the Hearts veteran and into the net just inside the left post. It was a sublime finish.
It was all the more remarkable when you consider the youngster only turned 17 back in November and it was, having made his debut as a second half substitute in midweek, his first international start.
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There is huge excitement about the attacking midfielder in the Genk kid’s adopted homeland. They considered it a major coup when manager Ivan Jovanovic persuaded him to switch allegiances to the land of his country’s birth. He had played age-group football in his native Belgium.
It is easy to see what the fuss is about. Karetsas was unfazed by the occasion and showed occasional flashes of brilliance. He has the potential to become one of Europe’s finest players. Lewis Ferguson was nutmegged by him shortly after he replaced McLean and was yellow carded for crudely pulling him down.
Boo boys
Whatever Clarke had said to his charges in the dressing room at half-time had little effect. Scotland fell three behind just 15 seconds into the second half when they allowed Tzolis to ghost in and slot beyond Gordon.
The manager made a much-needed triple change just 10 minutes later – he took off the ineffectual Adams, Billy Gilmour and McLean and put on George Hirst, Kieran Tierney and Ferguson.
The Tartan Army footsoldiers who had booed their men off at half-time were not slow in letting it be known what they thought about Gilmour being replaced. Their frustration was understandable. How Ryan Christie, who had been poor up until that point, stayed on the pitch for so long was a mystery.
Rethink required
Scotland were toothless in attack and lamentable at the back this evening and could have no complaints about the heavy home loss they were on the receiving end of against far smarter and more clinical rivals at the end of the 90 minutes.
If anything, the final scoreline could have even more humiliating. John Souttar hooked the ball off of his own goalline acrobatically.
Clarke certainly went for it at the end. He handed James Wilson, the teenage Hearts striker, his first cap and pitched Tommy Conway, the Middlesbrough forward, into the fray and took off Andy Robertson and Christie respectively. But the substitutes failed to provide a cutting edge in the final third.
Several players, not least winger Ben Doak, were badly missed in this double header. Still, there was more than enough talent to get the job done and avoid the drop. All of the progress which they made in the Nations League against Portugal, Croatia and Poland last year was undone.
Should more than one change to the starting line-up have been made? Is radical surgery required going forward? Do the old guard have to be thanked for their efforts, moved on and a new generation brought through? There is much to ponder before September.
