Key Points
- Craig Gordon and John Souttar miss out
- Key players missing through injury
- Lewis Morgan and Tommy Conway make the final 26
The Tartan Army are ready to hit Germany! Scotland manager Steve Clarke has confirmed his 26 man squad for the European Championships. With regular members such as Aaron Hickey, Nathan Patterson and Lewis Ferguson missing due to injury, there will be a few new names on the plane to Germany this week.
Recent results have tempered expectations among fans, but the Scotland Euro 2024 squad still looks capable of causing a few upsets. However, even the most optimistic Scotland fan will be approaching the tournament with caution. Whisper it quietly, but the Scots have never progressed to the knockout stages of a major tournament.
Three key questions after the Scotland Euro 2024 squad announcement
Here are several pressing questions that have been raised:
Who starts up front? And does it matter?
With Lyndon Dykes forced to miss the tournament through injury, Clarke’s attacking options are somewhat limited. Che Adams looks the most likely man to lead the line, but his record of six goals in 30 international appearances is hardly inspiring. Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland is a viable alternative, but despite a goal in Friday’s friendly against Finland, he’s not in great form either.
The only other options are the hugely inexperienced duo of Tommy Conway and Lewis Morgan, who have just four caps between them. It’s hardly a world class list of options, and it’s unlikely they’ll have any impact on the
odds for England at Euro 2024, but if one player can step up with a couple (we’re not asking for much!) of goals, it could help the Scots make it to the last 16.
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Can the star players shine?
Despite their problems on the frontline, the Scotland Euro 2024 squad does contain several top level performers in other areas. John McGinn and Andrew Robertson have enjoyed excellent Premier League seasons, whilst Kieron Tierney has excelled on loan at Real Sociedad.
When you add in established names like Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour, it is clear to see that Scotland have the quality to compete with the big teams. However, even those star names pale in comparison to the options available to other nations. How many Scotland players would get in the England team? If you said more than one (Andy Robertson), you probably need to rethink your answer.
Will they get out of the group?
The Euro 2024 draw was something of a mixed bag for the Scots. No doubt, they would have preferred to have avoided host nation Germany, who are third favourites with most
Euro 2024 bookmakers. However, both Hungary and Switzerland are beatable if Clarke’s men are in form. But that’s a huge if, especially given Scotland’s recent form.
After a fantastic start to qualifying, the Scots have struggled massively over the last nine months. Their only victory in that time was last week’s limp 2-0 win over minnows Gibraltar, hardly something to get the Tartan Army, or their fans for that matter, excited. To get out of the group, Clarke needs his team to rediscover the form that saw them win their first five qualification games, including that famous 2-0 victory over Spain at Hampden Park.
How will Scotland line up in Germany?
It’s fair to say, Scotland is not blessed with a fantastic array of options between the sticks. Norwich City’s Angus Gunn has cemented the number one spot in recent months and looks set to start ahead of Zander Clark and Liam Kelly.
Clarke favours a back five, so expect to see Tierney occupying the left centre half position, with Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna likely to play alongside him. Robertson is a guaranteed starter at left back, whilst Anthony Ralston's fine season with Celtic will probably give him the edge at right back.
Clarke has an abundance of options in midfield, which could mean the likes of Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong have to settle for places on the bench. McTominay will probably play at the base of a midfield diamond, with Callum McGregor and Gilmour in the middle and McGinn at the head. This is clearly Scotland’s strongest area and looks to have more goal scoring potential than their actual forward line!
Talking of which, Clarke doesn’t exactly have an abundance of riches in attack. Don’t be surprised to see him spring a surprise by starting Shankland ahead of Adams. He may also look to use the pace of Morgan from the bench in the latter stages of games. But let’s face it, these aren’t names to strike fear into the hearts of opposition defences.
What’s next?
Scotland face Germany in the opening game of Euro 2024. The game kicks off at 8 pm on June 14th in Munich. After that, they face Switzerland in Cologne on the 19th of June, before finishing with a potentially crucial encounter with Hungary on the 22nd of June in Stuttgart.
Should they progress to the knockout stage (no laughing please, it
could
happen), their second round game will be on the weekend of the 29th-30th June. That said, it’s doubtful I’ll be risking my
betting bonuses for euro 2024
supporting their cause.
It’s more a matter of when, rather than if, for the Scots
If Scotland can make it to the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time ever, most fans will be celebrating as if they had won the entire tournament. Scotland’s Euro 2024 squad certainly has the capability to do that, but it won’t be an easy task, especially as they face the mighty Germans first up.
Assuming they fail to win that game, their 19th June encounter with Switzerland looks pivotal. If they can at least gain a point from that, they will go into their final game with Hungary, knowing that victory will almost certainly see them progress to the last 16.
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