I have fond memories of the mid to late 90’s. I think it’s fair to say that Scotland enjoyed a bit of a cultural moment during that period.
Sean Connery was still going strong in things like the Rock while Mike Myers created iconic comedy villain Fat Bastard. Mel Gibson turned the English into the Galactic Empire in his historically dubious Braveheart. On top of that, Trainspotting did more for drug awareness that any PSA could ever do. It just felt like everything Scottish was kind of cool. It also happened to be the last decade in which Scotland competed in the FIFA World Cup, with Craig Brown overseeing the Tartan Army’s round-robin elimination at the 1998 World Cup. Steve Clarke’s Scottish side shot me back to the 90’s last night, producing a lung-busting display to beat Denmark 4-2, securing automatic qualification for next year’s showpiece event. I was tempted to put Braveheart on afterwards, just to wallow in the Scottishness of it all.
Hampden Park madness
Where do I begin with the match? Scotland were thrown a major lifeline after losing in Greece on Saturday, with Belarus somehow picking up a point in Copenhagen . Scotland had to win at Hampden Park to secure automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup. And they got off to a majestic start, with Scott McTominay cementing his ‘man for all seasons’ reputation with a stunning 3rd minute bicycle kick (he produced a similar effort to secure last season’s Serie A title). Scotland lived by the seat of their kilts for the remainder of the first half, with Rasmus Hojlund missing a raft of chances. Steve Clarke will have been pleased with that halftime whistle.
A rollercoaster of emotions
The carnival atmosphere turned funereal when Denmark were awarded a penalty just before the hour mark. Hojlund obliged from the spot, sending a wave of trepidation through the stadium. But the Danes threw Clarke a massive lifeline shortly after the equalizer, with Kristensen shown a 2nd yellow card for a silly foul on McGinn. Surely it was only a matter of time for Scotland to pull ahead. But despite the numerical advantage, Scotland toiled, with the midfield duo of Ferguson and McLean battling to penetrate a stout Danish unit. Lawrence broke the deadlock in the 78th minute, sending the Scottish crowd into delirium with point-blank finish. But Patrick Dorgu picked up the remote and hit the mute button, equalizing neatly at the far post.
Stoppage-time heroics
But Clarke’s resolute side produced their most iconic period of football since Archie Gemmil scored against Holland in 1978 (thank you, Trainspotting). Former Arsenal fullback Kieron Tierney created pandemonium in the 93rd minute, curling in a stunning effort to put the Scots on the cusp of qualification. Hard-working midfielder Kenny McLean then did the unthinkable in the final moments of the match, exposing Kasper Schmeichel’s positioning with a rocket from just inside the halfway line. I think we should take a moment to celebrate and quantify Steve Clarke’s magnificent achievement.
A mild-mannered hero
Former West Brom boss Steve Clarke took over the Scottish national side in 2019, and has since led a ragtag group of players into three Major tournaments. Sure, there is some solid Scottish talent at present, with the likes of McTominay, Robertson and Gilmour playing top-tier European club football. But this is still a national side that calls upon Che Adams when they are in desperate search of a goal- need I say more?. Yet despite these limitations, Clarke led Scotland to their first major tournament in 24 years at the delayed 2020 Euros. He backed that up with a 2nd successive Euros appearance in 2024. Now, he has added the World Cup to make it three major tournaments in five years! How did he manage that after years of Scottish obscurity?
Punching above their weight
Clarke recognized the limitations of his squad and acted accordingly, building his team around solid defensive cohesion. There wasn’t enough talent in the squad to fend off two or three-goal deficits. But there was just enough talent- with the likes of McTominay, Gilmour and McGinn- to take advantage of courageous, organized defensive performances. He also ensured that Scotland handsomely beat the sides ranked well below them (which had been a bugaboo for previous coaching structures). Clarke’s side started to blossom, picking up a record eight wins in 2021. Clarke’s tactics and consistency fostered a sense of self-belief, resulting in a standout 2-0 win over Spain in Euros 2024 qualifying.
Going forward
Let’s be real with each other; qualification is probably the best that this group of players can hope for. I think the attacking limitations of the group will be exposed in the frantic, dog eat dog world of the FIFA World Cup (as it has at the recent Euros). Still, last night could have a knock-on effect for Scottish football, inspiring a whole new generation of kids to pursue a career in the sport. And we also get to hear Flower of Scotland on the FIFA World Cup stage again- which is never a bad thing.
