The Clarke Era Has Begun - Let's Get Behind Him

BEING A born and bred Ayrshireman, resident in God's County, and having seen my first senior football at Rugby Park, I am conflicted by Sir Stephen Clarke's elevation to the position of Keeper of the Poisoned Chalice, or, Scotland Team Manager. I would rather we still had him at the Piedome.

Stevie Clarke - the new Keeper of the Poisoned Chalice

But, if he can replicate the uplift in results with Scotland he achieved with Killie, I will be happy. I am right behind him as he tries to get Scotland back to where we, the deluded foot soldiers of the Tartan Army believe we have a right to be – at the top table of world football.

So, I awaited with interest the announcement, this morning, of his first Scotland squad, for the forthcoming European Championship qualifiers against Cyprus and Belgium.

The names he announced were:

Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Celtic), Liam Kelly (Livingston), David Marshall (Hull City), Jon McLaughlin (Sunderland)

Defenders: Michael Devlin (Aberdeen), Stuart Findlay (Kilmarnock), Scott McKenna (Aberdeen), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Stephen O'Donnell (Kilmarnock), Liam Palmer (Sheffield Wednesday), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Heart of Midlothian), Greg Taylor (Kilmarnock)

Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Tom Cairney (Fulham), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen)

Forwards: Eamonn Brophy (Kilmarnock), Oliver Burke (Celtic, on loan from West Brom), James Forrest (Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), Marc McNulty (Hibernian, on loan from Reading), Lewis Morgan (Sunderland, on loan from Celtic), Johnny Russell (Sporting Kansas City).

Immediately, Clarke has brought-in three players who are new to the Scotland set-up, Aberdeen defender Michael Devlin and Kilmarnock trio Stuart Findlay, Greg Taylor and Eamonn Brophy, three players who played a major role in the success the manager enjoyed at club level.

This is nothing new, lots of past Scotland bosses have promoted players they worked with at club level. He has largely stayed with the players Alex McLeish used in his last squads, from the final match-day 23 which Big Eck named, for the 2-0 win over San Marino, only Hamburg defender David Bates, Cardiff's Calum Patterson and unused subs John Fleck and Oli McBurnie are missing from Clarke's selection.

David Marshall - back after a 21-international absence

He has brought back goalkeeper David Marshall, who won the last of his 27 caps against Slovakia, in October, 2016, 21 internationals ago. Clarke has also recalled Charlie Mulgrew, who won his 39^th cap against Israel, in the 1-2 loss in Haifa back in October. While Marshall, one of four goalkeepers named, brings international experience, another 'keeper, Liam Kelly of Livingston is also uncapped.

There have been suggestions from the press corps that the absence of Rangers players could back-fire on Clarke. Really? For me, the only Scot on the Rangers playing staff who is anywhere near international quality is Lee Wallace, and he is completely out of favour and leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of June. So, that one does not stand up to scrutiny.

The truth is, we don't any longer have “world-class” players – the Baxters, Laws, Dalglishes, Sounesses and Johnstones we used to produce at the drop of a hat. Scott McTominay may well grow into the role, but, we don't even, any more, have solid English Premiership standard players such as Darren Fletcher, who can do a specialist job.

Indeed, the only current Scotland player who might even make the long list for a Best in Europe or Best in the World squad is national captain Andy Robertson. What we do have, however, is a bunch of solid journeymen, who, under the guidance of a top coach – which Clarke has proved himself to be – will be difficult to beat and capable of, on a good day, beating sides supposedly better than us on paper.

That's where we are, get used to it.

What team would I choose? I do not normally indulge in the journalistic practice of second-guessing the national boss, but, in this case, I will indulge myself. I would go with:

Bain; O'Donnell, Souttar, Mulgrew, Robertson (captain); McGinn, McTominay, Armstrong, McGregor; Forrest, Russell.

I HAVE been getting some support from my personal Facebook friends, for suggesting, the weekend's two showpiece Scottish games: the Celtic v Hearts William Hill Scottish Cup final, and the St Mirren v Dundee United Premiership promotion/relegation play-off final were, to use an old Scottish fitba expression – mince.

Neither game gave me hope for the future of our club game, in truth, they were turgid affairs. I would not criticise Celtic for winning their third straight, domestic treble, but, given what a financial advantage they enjoy, they should have beaten a game but limited Hearts squad far-more easily than they did.

They got the sort of soft penalty which only the Old Firm ever seem to get – I wonder if it would have been given had VAR been in operation, to go ahead, while the cry was no defenders for their second goal

A team with the financial clout Celtic enjoy, for my money, ought to have won by more goals, and played with more elan, style and flair than Celtic showed. This is not a good Celtic team, but, they are far and away the best team in Scotland.

Second-best in Scotland is a very poor Rangers outfit, with not a single player whom my late father, old Hun that he was, would entertain as being: “Rangers Class.” Also, both clubs continue to employ a player – Scott Brown for Celtic and Alfredo Morellos for Rangers, who is, by the standards of their on-field demeanour, a plook on the fair countenance of the Beautiful Game.

That St Mirren v Dundee United game did give us an exciting penalty shoot-out, but, the two hours preceding the final drama was honkingly bad – a case of two teams terrified to try anything in case it back-fired on them. The fact the refereeing was honking too, didn't help.

You know, when you see that kind of fear, there is a case for holding the penalty shoot-out first. Then, at least the team which lost that would know – they would need to play well to avoid that result, and, it just might inspire them.

I continue to fear for the future of the game in Scotland, regardless of the fact Stephen Clarke might just work another miracle internationally.