Steve Clarke: Scotland will be tough opponents for anyone in World Cup play-offs

Steve Clarke has stressed that no one will relish a World Cup play-off appointment at Hampden next March.

Steve Clarke celebrates Scotland's 2-0 win over Denmark at full-time (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

The list of opponents Scotland can potentially face in the play-off semi-final has now been finalised after the last round of fixtures in the regular qualifying campaign, namely Poland, North Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, Austria or Czech Republic.

The country is still on a high after Monday night’s comprehensive defeat of group winners Denmark at a sold-out Hampden. The win guaranteed Clarke’s team a home draw in a one-legged World Cup play-off semi-final on 24 March, with a final - venue to be decided - on 29 March should they progress.

Scotland prevailed at Hampden after a penalty shoot-out against Israel last year in a play-off semi-final for Euro 2020 but there were no fans allowed inside the stadium due to Covid restrictions.

They reaped the benefits of being cheered on by a sell-out crowd against the Danes on Monday as Scotland claimed a sixth consecutive competitive victory for the first time since 1930. Goals from Hearts defender John Souttar and Southampton striker Che Adams put Hampden into ferment.

When it was pointed out to Clarke that Scotland will be pitted against some big nations when the draw takes place in Zurich next Friday, the manager pointed out that Scotland will now be regarded as a team to avoid by others.

“Scotland are there too,” he said. “And anybody who watched that game will be thinking: ‘That’ll be a tough game.’ We will see what this draw brings and deal with it in March.

“I keep saying it, we are decent,” he added. “We wanted to finish the campaign on a high and I think you saw the way we approached the game was very positive. The Danes, as well, made it an open game. We risked a lot, they risked a lot, and on the night I think we were just the better team.”

Clarke has all but given up on the prospect of arranging a squad get-together prior to the build-up to the play-off. He has consulted the diary together with his coaches and has concluded there just isn’t a window in a packed domestic programme.

“We sort of discussed if we could get together but it’s so difficult to bring them all together,” he said. “I’ll wander around, watch all the games, keep an eye on them and keep in touch with them, without interfering too much in their club business. Now they go away, they can concentrate on their clubs and we pick up the reins again in March.”

There will be inevitable pressure on the SPFL to postpone top-flight fixtures due to be played on the weekend before the play-offs. Games are currently scheduled for Saturday 19 March.

Calls were made for this to happen before Scotland’s two Euro 2020 play-offs last season, against Israel and then Serbia. The SPFL rejected the proposal, citing the "enormous pressure” already placed on the fixture calendar due to the impact of Covid-19. Matches were rescheduled for the Friday night to allow Clarke and his squad as much preparation time as possible but both Rangers and Celtic had to play on the Sunday due to their involvement in the Europa League. A fatigued Clarke last night said these discussions were for another time. “I have not even thought about it,” he said.

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