Clarke aiming to prove Scotland doubters wrong against in-form Portugal

Steve Clarke is aiming to prove the doubters wrong when Scotland welcome Portugal to Hampden Park in their Nations League clash on Tuesday.

Scotland sit bottom of Group A1 after losing all three of their matches in the competition, the latest of which came in a 2-1 defeat to Croatia in Zagreb.

The loss saw Clarke’s side extend their longest winless run in competitive matches in their history to nine (D3 L6), while they have now lost four consecutive games for the first time in five years.

Scotland’s recent run of form includes their dismal showing at Euro 2024, as they failed to reach the knockout stages for a sixth time at a major tournament, picking up just one point from their three games in Germany, though Clarke remains optimistic.

“It’s a tough moment, no doubt about it, but we believe in ourselves,” Clarke told BBC Sport.

“After 20 years in the international wilderness, this group has got to two major tournaments and been promoted to the top level of the Nations League, so I don’t understand why there would be doubts.

“We have to believe in what we are doing and when I look at the players on the pitch, I believe in what we’re doing.

“The players understand where we are in the process, and they are ready to go again.

Moving through the gears #SCOPOR pic.twitter.com/sdufEfpMQm

— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) October 14, 2024

“They understand that we are playing difficult opponents, and they understand the squad could be stronger.

“I don’t speak about that too much, since we have to concentrate on who we have here.

“We have to go out against Portugal, and we know we have to be good at everything we do in the game.”

But in aiming to rediscover that winning feeling, they face an uphill task against a Portugal side who have won each of their last seven competitive away games by an aggregate score of 22-1.

Scotland have also lost each of their last four matches against the Selecao, with the Scots only currently on a longer run of defeats against Belgium and Brazil (both six).

But one positive from their display against Croatia was the performance of Ben Doak.

At 18 years and 336 days old, Doak became the youngest player to start a competitive match for Scotland since Willie Johnston against Poland in 1965 (18 years and 298 days) against Croatia.

However, Clarke stressed the importance of not piling too much pressure onto the youngster’s shoulders so early into his international career.

“We’re already starting to grow the next generation of players,” Clarke said.

“As well as trying to be good now, I’m trying to leave a group who are ready to carry on. We don’t want 20 years after this group without the success we all want.

“We want Ben to be a talent for the next 15 years, not 15 months, so don’t put too much pressure on him.

“He’s a young man, he will make mistakes in the game, he will do really good things in the game.

“We need to get the balance right between giving Ben the opportunity to play, which he’s more than capable of taking, and protecting him a bit, make sure we don’t overhype.”

From the start

Ben Doak is in the Scotland starting XI for the first time this evening.#CROSCO pic.twitter.com/h5WQaxXvF4

— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) October 12, 2024