MAIL SPORT COMMENT: Steve Clarke's reputation is on the line against Swiss ...
his Scotland team can't turn in the same dross again Defeat is simply unthinkable for Scots as they face Switzerland after embarrassing 5-1 hammering by Germany Boss Clarke needs to see a marked improvement from his players after their no-show in the Allianz Arena Scotland manager's standing will be defined by his team's performance against Swiss side already riding high after Hungary win By John Mcgarry Published: 19:17, 17 June 2024 | Updated: 19:50, 17 June 2024 e-mail View comments There is at least one positive omen for Scotland as minds turn from the horror show in Munich and towards what lies in wait in Cologne on Wednesday. The last victory for the national team at a major tournament happened to come against none other than Switzerland. Ally McCoist’s screamer at Villa Park arrived in the last group game of Euro ‘96.
Had it not been for David Seaman letting in Patrick Kluivert’s tame shot 120 miles down the M40 at Wembley, McCoist’s goal that night would have been historic, too. Some 28 years and seven games on, the wait for a victory on the big stage rolls on to the banks of the Rhine in the west of Germany. After the unmitigated disaster that was the 5-1 loss to the hosts, the second game in Group A finds Steve Clarke’s side unable to countenance the possibility of defeat.
While it wouldn’t arithmetically end their hopes of qualification there and then, the game would effectiv.
