Steve Clarke urges Scotland fans to take pride in their Euros opener as he sets his sights on knockout stages Scots boss in good spirits as his side prepare to open Euro 2024 against hosts Clarke says he and his players have big-game experience required to succeed Coach believe his team won't be distracted by the 'sideshow' of curtain-raiser Clarke returns the praise of German coach Nagelsmann and warns of tough test By Stephen Mcgowan Published: 16:18 EDT, 13 June 2024 | Updated: 16:18 EDT, 13 June 2024 e-mail View comments IT’S sobering, sometimes, to see yourself as others see you. Julian Nagelsmann used to view Scotland teams as long-ball merchants who fought like lions for the knockdowns by any means necessary. Just the other day, former German international Robert Huth predicted a ‘mega-defensive’ display from Steve Clarke’s side in tonight’s opening game of Euro 2024 .
If that’s what he thinks, he clearly hasn’t watched them play. It’s Nagelsmann’s job to study his opponents in detail, and the wunderkind of German coaching spoke last night of the cultural progression initiated under Clarke. He spoke of how good the Scots are in the final third, how much stress they create for opponents with the ball at their feet.
He praised their pressing, and the counter attacking of players like Billy Gilmour , John McGinn and Scott McTominay Clarke, said the 36-year-old Germany boss, had done a ‘brilliant’ job and changed the way Scotland play football. When t.