Cieran Slicker the victim as Scotland reap bitter harvest from years of neglect - and teammates let him down

Rely on Scotland to make a drama out of a friendly. The opening spell of this match alone left supporters emotionally wrung-out, which was novel given there was so little riding on it.

There was calamity in the form of goalkeeper Angus Gunn, currently on the lookout for another club, being helped from the park after just seven minutes – he’d already been lying on the turf for four of them. And there was pure pathos as Cieran Slicker, his replacement, endured a personal nightmare as he struggled the way anyone surely should have expected given his lack of big match experience.

The big question was whether Slicker might be replaced at half-time - we later learned Scotland had no one to replace him with. He wasn’t and he was badly at fault when a header from former Hibs player Victor Palsson went straight through him to make it 3-1 to Iceland, which is how it finished as Scotland’s friendly woes continued.

Goalkeeper Cieran Slicker endured a nightmare Scotland debut after replacing the injured Angus Gunn after seven minutes against Iceland. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

This was a torrid evening for Slicker, no question. But he was the victim as Scotland reaped a bitter harvest following years of neglect when it comes to a very important position. Whither, Scotland’s goalkeepers?

This might not be a popular view but some of his senior teammates let Slicker down slightly. He looked like the loneliest man in Scotland at times and might have done with a public show of support. When he went down the tunnel at half-time, having been partly at fault for Iceland’s opening two goals, no-one rushed to throw an arm round him.

There was a view in the stadium that the 22-year-old had been let down by manager Steve Clarke too. Why not send on Robby McCrorie, who has at least played a reasonable amount of first-team football for Kilmarnock this season? It later emerged that McCrorie had sustained a knee injury in the warm-up, just to compound this wretched ‘keeper conundrum.

Iceland's Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson (L) celebrates as Scotland's Lewis Ferguson (R) scores an own goal. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Some suspense was provided by the inclusion of both Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney. Did that mean a back four with Tierney playing left midfield, as most probably hoped would be the case? Or – horror of horrors – did it mean reverting to a back five? The minute’s applause for Jack McGinn, the former SFA president and Celtic chairman, meant there was a further delay to see where Robertson and Tierney would take up position. The disappointment was palpable when Robertson headed to left wing-back. It all felt very Euro 2024. Ugh.

But that was nothing compared with the concern that greeted the sight of Gunn flailing in agony on the turf having fallen awkwardly while gathering a cross just two minutes in. Scotland were already in the midst of a 'keeper crisis, which is summed up by having two substitute goalkeepers on the bench without a cap between them and barely a minute of first-team football in the case of Slicker, the Ipswich Town No. 3. Clarke had no other choice than to bring on the latter.

When was the last time Scotland replaced a goalkeeper during a game? Well, nearly a year ago to the day against Finland, when Craig Gordon was given what was meant to be a send-off in recognition of the end of a glorious international career. He conceded about three minutes later. Sadly, Slicker could not even reach this point before a first goal had flashed past him.

Scotland's Andy Robertson shows his frustration after overhitting a cross. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

If he was partly at fault for a short kick-out, then so too were a few of his new teammates who failed to respond as tall Iceland midfielder Stefan Teitur Thordarson headed the ball back towards the Scotland box. Andri Gudjohnsen, son of Eidur, took a touch with his right foot and then slammed an unerring shot into the top corner with his left, rather like his father might have done. Slicker didn’t have an earthly.

What a baptism, though. What a test of nerve for the youngster. David Marshall, a former Scotland goalkeeper hero, looked on from the special SFA former players’ seat just behind the cup presentation area in the main stand. A penny for his thoughts. Had he retired too early? Clarke had been asked about the lack of ‘keepers coming through in his pre-match press conference. “Maybe we’ve taken our eye off the ball,” he replied. There was nothing funny about this. A young man’s career seemed to be dissolving in front of our eyes.

Scotland should have equalised soon afterwards. It had almost passed unremarked amid the many other talking points that George Hirst was making his full debut. He had the ideal chance to score his first international goal after 20 minutes but lifted his header just too high after John McGinn’s clipped cross following a rare slack pass from a very watchable Iceland.

A better effort on the turn following Scott McTominay’s lay-off was tipped wide by ‘keeper Elias Rafn Olafsson. From the resultant corner Scotland equalised in very straightforward fashion, which was untypical of their evening. Max Johnston, another full debutant, curled in a corner and Souttar was required simply to fall into it while making sure he got sufficient contact with his head.

Johnston should have made it 2-1 but fluffed his shot at the back post after Tierney’s cross.

Scotland's John Souttar (C) celebrates with George Hirst, Grant Hanley and Billy GIlmour (L-R) after scoring to make it 1-1 against Iceland at Hampden. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Then it was another 'look away now' moment for Scotland. On the stroke of half time an unremarkable corner from Albert Gudmundsson caused complete chaos in the Scottish goalmouth. The ball hit Grant Hanley and then deflected off Lewis Ferguson onto a post before squirming beneath Slicker. It got more excruciating in the second half when Slicker seemed to completely lose the flight of Palsson’s header following a free-kick from the right. No reprieve was forthcoming when it survived a VAR review.

It seemed doubly ironic when Hirst was foiled by a good save low to his left from Olaffson shortly afterwards. The striker’s luck was out all evening although he did show enough to give Clarke a small crumb of comfort. A later goal when he tapped in after McTominay’s shot had been blocked was ruled out because the Napoli midfielder had strayed slightly offside in the build-up.

McTominay, who has barely been seen without a cigarette hanging from his mouth since Napoli wrapped up the Serie A title last month, wasn’t the only one dying for a fag after this.