Birthday Bhoy Callum McGregor rallies squad like the Scotland captain he should be

If you are a Scotland fan the alarming drop-off in performances over the last three games have been as embarrassing as they have been unexpected.

The defeat in the World Cup play- off game against Ukraine saw all the hard work achieved by Scotland in reaching that stage unravel with 90 minutes of tactical indecision from Steve Clarke, but there was further to fall still.

After defeating Armenia 2-0 at Hampden in the Nations League it was reported that Scotland were back in their groove, but in truth our opponent was as tactically astute as our own manager had been against Ukraine, and our profligacy in front of goal was just as evident against the Armenians as it had been against Ukraine.

Then against Ireland in Dublin the walls caved in. As despite learning tactical lessons from previous games our propensity to be picked off on the counter attack – as Armenia had evidenced a few days before, but had failed to capitalise on – was picked up on by Stephen Kenny, and his players added something Scotland should never be outgunned by at international level, they simply wanted it more than Scotland. More desire, more hunger more willingness to go in where it might hurt.

In the end Scotland lost by three, should have lost by more, and were shown up by an Ireland side who it was rumoured had been performing so badly that manager Kenny was on the verge of the sack.

There aren’t many Scotland players who have achieved pass marks in recent games but our Birthday Bhoy Callum McGregor is certainly one – and why he’s not the country’s captain is beyond me given Andrew Robertson has shown an inability to tweak things tactically in games, nor does he seem to be able to encourage his charges to at the very least fight for the cause.

McGregor as reported in Scottish Daily Mail has come out in support of manager Steve Clarke as you would expect ahead of tonight’s away game in Armenia, a game Scotland simply have to win and a place where the team who took three off us on Saturday have already lost.

“The success of being at the last tournament has given everyone the belief and expectation that we should be getting there on a regular basis. That’s the type of team we want to be. We want to be achieving things as a group.

“As players, we want to achieve things individually too, so we have to meet the standards we have set ourselves in the last 18 months or so. It’s important we don’t forget the good work that has happened in that period, that we don’t lose belief in ourselves — and also that the nation don’t lose belief in us either. So Armenia is important because we have to get back on track quickly.

‘There has been a lot of reflecting on Saturday’s game and looking at the negatives from it. Ultimately, we have to brush ourselves down and go again because this is a big game.  We have to go away with a positive result and be ready to come back in September and make sure it’s a successful campaign.

“The Tartan Army travel everywhere in their numbers and we really disappointed them against Ireland on Saturday. So it’s important we finish this little block of games strongly and try and give them a little bit of positivity to take away over the summer.”

It’s a rare occurrence for a travelling support to boo a Scotland team off the park, but such was the drop-off in standards it’s clearly been alarming for those who travel in support of the national team, and they certainly showed their displeasure on Saturday evening at the Aviva stadium.

It may well be too early for managerial changes to be considered, but the course of Scotland’s form and results has to change soon – starting tonight – before you consider the malaise setting in may become irreversible.

Yet McGregor has asked for the patience this manager has earned from previous runs of impressive form and results. And the Celtic skipper is quite right to back his man for now, but backing Clarke being mirrored in the stands will only occur if the players show signs that they have the stomach for the fight, because it’s in their hands when it comes to the security of Steve Clarke’s job.

“I think the manager has done a great job. Look at where the national team was when he came in. He has made a huge impact. He has got us to a tournament for the first time in 23 years.

“We then got to a play-off semi-final, which was the closest we have come to a World Cup for many, many years as well. So you have to look at the success and the building process he has put in place.

“By no means are we the finished article or we think that we have arrived. There is a lot of work to be done, but the players and staff all understand that. There is a lot of good work being done and to jump on the bandwagon too early is the wrong thing to do.

‘We have to stick with the manager. He has done a lot right, a lot of good things for the country and this group of players, so it is important now that we trust him and stand behind him.”

Steve Clarke has shown lessons have been learned when it comes to tactical tweaks in recent games, but what he can’t do is go into tackles, have the thirst to win second balls or win individual battles on the field of play, that is down to the players and it’s been lacking for three games now.

And whilst it is encouraging to see Callum McGregor come out and support his manager, if the players really want Clarke to continue in the job, they have it in their hands to prove just that, by putting in the performances on the park – and that starts with putting in a shift in Armenia this evening.

Niall J

🍀🎂 Happy birthday to #CelticFC captain, Callum McGregor!

🎶 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒏𝒐-𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓! 🎶 pic.twitter.com/LPrZwqDzv9

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) June 14, 2022

Happy Birthday Callum McGregor. pic.twitter.com/iHcJVczJuP

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe_7) June 13, 2022

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