Scotland’s Prospects & Euro 2024 Contenders | Fan Debate Euros Special

0:00The market's uncertain. Revenue's tied and hiring on hold. That's why results-driven companies are using Upwork to keep work moving. Go to Upwork.com today and start hiring proven freelance talent fast. No bulky overhead. No rigid long-term contracts. Just the right expert right when you need them. Work smarter and faster with Upwork. Go to Upwork.com now and find your freelance expert. That's U-P-W-O-R-K.com. Post a job for free and get started today. A mochi moment from Tara, who writes, For years, all my doctor said was eat less and move more, which never worked. But you know what does? The simple eating tips from my nutritionist at Mochi.

0:43And after losing over 30 pounds, I can say you're not just another GLP-1 source. You're a life source. Thanks, Tara. I'm Myra Ameth, founder of Mochi Health. To find your Mochi moment, visit joinmochi.com. Tara is a Mochi member compensated for her story. Our two best players are left-backs Left-backs don't win you games Left-backs didn't either There is still a little bit of tin pottery I think maybe in Scottish football Headline on this piece Scottish guy says Scottish league is tin pot I think the most important player would be Angus Gwynn If he has a good tournament I think Scotland could get out of the group In Switzerland somebody said it's like the expendables That can go one of two ways It can either die in its arse or they can't check on.

1:30I used to get hammered in Scotland. You used to get hammered everywhere you went. Not just Scotland, me.

2:05Scotland get batted, everywhere they go. Scotland get batted, everywhere they go. Trust me, you're winning, fuck all again.

2:19Right. I tell you, it's a hell of a game, though, isn't it? I mean, what a game. It reminds me of the 98 World Cup when we opened against Brazil. it's like the big showcase game and we did okay against Brazil until we Scotland it by Tommy Boyd scoring our own goal Always finding unique ways to make an arse of it but it's a free hit as far as I'm concerned we're playing the hosts at home, first game as long as we don't get pumped as long as we don't get pumped then it's a free hit because I think Germany will beat the other two teams as well so it's the next two games that are absolutely vital for Scotland.

2:59What do you make of the job that he's done, Steve Clark? Well, he's amazing. I worked with Steve, actually, at Comarnock for a while. I worked in the media department at Comarnock for quite a while, so I know Steve, know how he works, and I think the job that he's done is excellent. Steve has this kind of deadpan thing about him, but inside he's this young boy, just desperate to do well for Scotland. But what he does, obviously, from his time at Chelsea and his time at England, West Brom, things like that, He's able to bring this calmness to the group, I think. You probably agree with that. He brings this calmness to the group.

3:32It's not necessarily fresh ideas. I think the thing with Steve Clarke, and you saw it at Comarnock, is that everyone knows the exact job they need to do. Everyone knows when you're out of possession or we're out of possession, you need to be here, you need to be there. If you're out, you need to come across. Everyone to the letter knows exactly what their job is. And I think that's why we've been so successful with Steve. What can we expect from them in this tournament? You've never actually made it out of a group phase. Is there a chance that can happen? Yeah. I think so, aye. The problem we have is I don't know what Switzerland or what Hungary is going to turn up because they've both got...

4:08I think Switzerland, somebody said that it's like the Expendables. Like, this is their last shot at glory, if you like, before a lot of their golden generation go on. That can go one of two ways. it can either die in its arse or they can kick on. So, yes, there's a chance because we play, like Gavin was saying there, we play like a club side. You know, you were all, when you were doing the, this guy might play here, you might do, nobody's turning up for Scotland going, where am I playing? Do the basics brilliantly. It's probably the Steve Clarke mantra. If you do the basics brilliantly, everything else will probably fall into place.

4:46It's not over, it's not over-engineered. It's not, you know, a million hours of looking with the analysts. You know your job, you do the basics, everything else will come... I mean, don't get me wrong, Austin McPhee is fantastic when it comes to set plays. I think, Scotland have only conceded corners against Holland and France, whatever. So I think when you see how they set up for set pieces, you see how dangerous they are to set pieces as well. And Scott McTominay has been a revelation for Scotland, I think, too. And I'd probably expect him to start, I'm being honest, as well. When you're talking about Derbald, doing the basics as weird as it sounds that's the hardest thing to do as a football player is to do the basics well so you'd have players obviously bring a bit of magic off the cuff and you'll score you a goal but actually getting a group of players to do the basics well is very difficult and you see that Man City do it but obviously then they have the superstars Arsenal do it if you look at Manchester United you look at some teams throughout the Premier League a lot of them don't do the basics well and that's what cost them that's so difficult for players to do as a team.

5:53And you mentioned there about City. The thing that's holding Scotland, that will hold Scotland back, it didn't Wales, is that Wales had this generational talent in a position that can win you a game. Our two best players are left-backs. Left-backs don't win you games. Do you know what I mean? You know, they don't. You know, look at the laugh. That's exactly right-backs didn't either. I was just teeing that up for you just to knock it home that's what we've got I was saying to Gavin coming across here yesterday we scored 17 goals in qualification do you know how many of those goals were scored by strikers?

6:33two right McTominay right Big Scott fantastic love him but he's revelled in that role that Steve's given him Steve's kind of given him a freedom maybe he's not had at Manchester United I think so he's able to go and express himself, he's able to get himself into, I think maybe two, two or three of his goals this season have been pretty much carbon copy. He gets into this area just at the edge of the box and whether it's a toe poke home or whether he places it, he just knows where to be and he knows where to be at the right time and I think that's going to be huge for Scotland. There's probably, I don't know if it's an arrogance about England fans towards Scotland.

7:14I actually want Scotland to do I've always, whenever I've gone into tournaments, whether it's Wales, Ireland, Scotland, I always want them to do well. I don't share that, OK? I'm not going to have a solid stone between now and when England go out. I'm the same, actually. I would want Scotland to do well. But there's always this feeling that you're going to have this tremendous support, this incredible army of fans that will go over. but the reality of it is that it'll probably sort of, the football will kill. I think it has done in previous campaigns. I think it has done. How's this different?

7:52There's just a different feel. I think the way we play is better. Okay, I think we've won one in nine coming into this. And you look at the warm-up games, warm-up games are warm-up games. I think Finland was, there's some positives to take out of that, we draw to each, but there was a lot of positives and then it just floated into friendly mode. You boys will know yourself. It's probably very difficult to get up for a friendly. But also, you don't want to get injured. It's the last thing you really want. I don't expect, if I'm going to Hamden to watch Scotland send them off or anything like that, I'm not expecting swashbuckling football.

8:26I'm not expecting flying tackles. I'm expecting to see us do the basics. And maybe I would be expecting us to win the game. But I'm not expecting anything fancy. It's a warm-up game. It's there for a reason. It's there for Steve and the management team, maybe just to look at a couple of little extra things that they need. But then, of course, we've got Lyndon Dykes, he's injured. And I think you were saying this, it's maybe spooked a bit of the team as well. So that's the last thing you want is big guys, you know, guys like Callum McGregor, guys like Scott McTominay, guys like Ciarantini, who is a little bit injury prone.

8:56These guys don't want to get and pick up more injuries going into. And there's something maybe in there that this could be a last, it could be a last tournament for maybe a couple of them. Who's Scotland's star player? Most important player, I'll say. Lawrence Shankland is probably one that gets a lot of plaudits at home in Scotland because of how well he's doing for hearts. He just needs one chance, really, I think. And that could be the difference. That's why I think he'll play over Shea Adams against Germany, is you'll get maybe one, two chances at a push, perhaps, against Germany. So I think Shankland, in the form that he's in in the league, is probably more likely to carry that momentum.

9:35You know that. So momentum is massive. So he probably will carry that in. I think Karl McGregor has got a huge part to play in Scotland as well Andy Robertson I don't know if you can really say there's a star player Andy Robertson huge I think I rephrase that recognising that he didn't have particularly a star player most important player I think the most important player would be Angus Gunn well he's got to be absolutely for Scotland that's a great show actually if he has a a good tournament I think Scotland could do could get out the group if he doesn't then I think it would be difficult it goes back though to building I believe that you win football games based on a solid defence if your defence is weak then there's probably a chance that you can't break forward as well it breeds anxiety throughout the rest of the team it sets plays against you at corners you want a goalkeeper to come out you want him to command that area you want him to come out and just get the ball and instil a bit of stability at the back because they will be nervous there's players in there that will be nervous You boys have been nervous when you were playing in Euros and World Cups.

10:41They'll be nervous on Friday night. They've been fighting, haven't you, Germany? They've seen something today or yesterday. Oh, Rudiger. Someone else were fighting. What you've got to do, though, I think what Steve said, is you've got to play the match, not the occasion. I think that's where he and John Carver... I think every Scottish manager has said that for the last 50, 60 years, since it was originally said by maybe either Bill Shankly or... A few England managers have said that. Absolutely. Agreed. You've got to enjoy it, but you have to. Sir Alex Ferguson used to say that, play the game, not the occasion.

11:13I think it came from, I'm not sure if it was Jock Steen, or one of the sort of great Scottish managers from previously. It's definitely a Scottish manager phrase, that. I think there's a lot of, there's probably confidence, I think, throughout the country. Optimism, certainly, throughout the country. Just on the game, I think there's a lot more pressure on Germany than Scotland on Friday. I agree. Germany are saying it's a free hit. And after what happened in their last tournament, and obviously them fighting this week, I think the manager's been coming out saying a few things were under a bit of pressure.

11:44I think there's a lot of... If Scotland start well or frustrate them... What do you two think of Scotland's chances coming into that? Especially Friday night. Do you think Scotland are capable of getting out of the group? Do you think they're capable of getting a result on Friday night? Friday night, I think it'll be tough to get a result. I just have a feeling that it will be too much in the end. I just think Switzerland for me are... I think Switzerland will finish bottom of the group. Do you? It depends what Hungary come in. I watched Hungary against Republic of Ireland. Last week I got into a warm-up game, but it wasn't great.

12:19But I know before that I think they were 14-15 unbeaten. I think Germany will get out and then it will be between Scotland and Hungary. I think it will be between Switzerland and Scotland.

12:33Scotland have never got on out of a group ever not in my lifetime there's been apart from a couple most of them have always been on goal difference in fact who was the keeper in 96 that let in was it Clive Hurt scored I know I remember David Steele were we 4-0 up 4-0 up just the 4-0 up and the one goal went in killed Scotland yeah that's how it We had a little bit of a huddle on the pitch and said, look. Yeah, exactly.

13:12Any of our England fans want to contribute to the Scotland chat? Feel passionately about Rory? I think, to be fair, I think the bigger threat to the Strats are Hungary. I think the Swiss are coming to the end of their golden generation. But Shaqiri's 32, Xhaka's 31 coming off a brilliant season, but there'll be a degree of tiredness there. Whereas Hungary have got a real momentum behind them. They've not lost since October 2022 or something. It's a long time. 14 of 15 games. They've got one star player, Sobberslay, and then a lot of good mid-table Bundesliga players. It's a big political thing in Hungary, but there's a lot of national pride.

13:51They'll take huge numbers of fans. They'll have the black-clad ultras behind the goals. there'll be a problem for Scotland to qualify. I think they're good enough to do it, but if you look at some of the other groups, Belgium's group, I could play in Belgium's group. The Strots have been really unlucky with the Georgia. The Swiss are decent, they're reliable, they'll be quite boring, but they're now to get results. Hungary are good, Germany the host. It's a tough group. I think it's a really good thing that Scotland have got through, and people think, you're an England fan. But just seeing them at the tournaments, I mean, like 98, okay, going there in their numbers, lively.

14:29But I think the main thing, why it's a good thing that they're going to be there, is because they turn up at, I don't know if you know, they turn up at tournaments anyway. They call it ABE, right? The market's uncertain. Revenue's tied and hiring on hold. That's why results-driven companies are using Upwork to keep work moving. Go to Upwork.com today and start hiring proven freelance talent fast. No bulky overhead. No rigid long-term contracts. Just the right expert, right when you need them. Work smarter and faster with Upwork. Go to Upwork.com now and find your freelance expert. That's U-P-W-O-R-K.com.

15:06Post a job for free and get started today. A mochi moment from Tara, who writes, For years, all my doctor said was eat less and move more, which never worked. But you know what does? The simple eating tips from my nutritionist at Mochi. And after losing over 30 pounds, I can say you're not just another GLP-1 source. You're a life source. Thanks, Tara. I'm Myra Amid, founder of Mochi Health. To find your Mochi moment, visit joinmochi.com. Tara is a Mochi member compensated for her story. Literally every single tournament you go to, there's loads of Scotland fans. They go as ABE, basically anyone but England, and they buy tickets for the group games that England are playing, and they turn up in their kilts and everything like that.

15:54I think a lot of that stems... Obviously, there's this big rivalry. We love a rivalry. I do also think a lot of that stems from media, from the 90s, 80s, etc. There's a lot of that. There was a few of us talking during the break about how we still feel in Scotland that the English media tries to... Even if you're getting an England game on STV, so obviously it's on the ITV network, but then there's a lot of people who go, why the hell is that on? And the Scotland game's not on, so there's things like that. But then there's also the way that the English media try and portray themselves. But it's more newspapers more than broadcast.

16:29I say that because I'm in broadcast. But I think the newspapers, as we were talking about, they want to grab these headlines. They want to try and push Scotland down when they can. And I feel that that's very, we talked about it earlier, lazy journalism. and there's still a lot stems from that especially more of the older guard maybe from my father's generation and maybe one or two down or so I think and I can see people nodding their head around but there's this arrogance I feel from the print media in England that they don't want Scotland to do well and it's all about England will win England will win and there's this feeling in Scotland of we don't give a fine to us do what you want we don't care so that's where I think this anyone but England has came from there's definitely an arrogance from England fans towards Scotland without Shereveder and in worse you don't want in some causes there's an indifference and you've seen it in club football it happens all the time but I can imagine that's intensely irritating and as an England fan I definitely respect the fact that Scotland are there and can't wait for you guys to get knocked out Don't get me wrong we don't help we don't help ourselves in the league we really don't I don't know how much Scottish Premier League you two or anyone else in here will watch but we really don't help ourselves three times I tried to cover a match for Five Live Rangers Dundee and it took us to the third attempt to get the game on because we can't keep rain off the pitch in Scotland like you know and rightly Dundee have been dealt with that's a completely different story for something else but there is still a little bit of tin pottery I think maybe in Scottish football I might get shot down for that by those in Scotland but realistically I still feel that we don't the product's probably as best as it's ever been and you're starting to see that with the national team and the way that Steve sets everything up but I still think as a footballing nation Jim you might agree we don't help ourselves at times the overlap are now going to put the headline on this piece Scottish guy says Scottish league is Tim Pottery Tim Pottery Tim Pottery Pottery I'll tell you what I win the great word it's perfect that I will say when we came up to Hamden for the recent game I was I was nervous about your your club mentality I thought I thought you'd take us to the cleaners to be honest I thought the fervour of what's happening in Scotland, I think he's got it right, Steve Clarke, he's working brilliantly with the tools he's got, and he's got them doing, as you've said it, exactly what's on the tin.

18:50Do your job, and it'll look after it's done. And I genuinely thought we were in for a... We just can't get up for a friendly. A rough time. We just can't. Can't get up for a friendly. We just can't get up for a friendly. Against England, you can't. You should. You should get up against England, but realistically... I think there's a lot of pressure as well from the club managers. obviously now you've some really important players who are playing big roles for the clubs absolutely when you're going into a friendly game it's going to happen where the players are wanting to come off after 45 minutes it's their bread and butter though isn't it that's what pays their mortgage it's what keeps their families that's ultimately these guys jobs and I think that's where that comes from for not being able to get up for a friendly another thing as well just to quickly say is that Scottish football has got this to quote my learned friend here tin pottery right but you look at John McGinn he was a okay player at Hibs and he's come into the Premiership doesn't look out of place Ryan Christie same at Bournemouth wasn't or at Celtic but these players are in there whatever these players are in there they've been scouted they've been found these players are in there and they're now playing at a higher level if you were to bring John McGinn back into a team that's at the bottom of the Scottish League ultimately over a period of time his form would drop because of what he's playing round about him that's exactly what I feel you're putting really good players into world-class teams.

20:07They're going to be brought up. They will be brought up. You've always had good players in Scotland. You go back throughout the years, you think of the players who've played over in England, from Scotland, some of the best players that have played in the country. So they've always produced good players. They have. I think it's more of... Is that next? They need the finances for the league to improve. That's not going to happen. Yeah, when I was... You're growing up and you think about sort of Souness and Hanson and Dalgleish, Brian McClare, Gordon Strack, and all these sort of great players, many more.

20:35Same with Republic of Ireland, fantastic players. Welsh players, Ian Rush and Mark Hughes. And it's not just happened, actually, with the sort of home nations, but it's happened with England. Probably, I think, it's coming back a little bit, where the English academy players are being more respected now and coming through. Scottish players are starting to come back through again. I think we recognise, probably lost faith in our home nation players for quite a while when the Premier League was going from being a, if you like, the old Division I to the Premier League, then going to sort of, if you like, an international league, which it has become.

21:03But I think there's now a rebalancing back, I think, through academies and through the EPPP and through the fact that there's been more faith, maybe what Gareth's done with, and sustainability, I think. Well, there's business models on that as well, isn't there? Yeah, so I think it's good to see Scottish players, I think, being more prominent, if you like, in the Premier League. I have to say, 10 years ago when I was asking the question, where are all the Welsh players? where all the Scottish players, the Republic of Ireland players, the Northern Irish players, they were the best players in the league, some of those players, as you've said.

21:35It was non-existent almost. English clubs stopped shopping in Scotland. They did. They looked at the SPL and thought, we can go and get players probably cheaper. Celtic and Rangers don't want to sell to English clubs, particularly, because it kind of imbalances that power dynamic. The players were always in Scotland, but you can get them cheaper in France or go and get them from France, and then you can get them cheaper in Argentina, get them from Argentina. And the difference at youth level, I'm not saying for a second that it was beneficial for anything, is Brexit. You can't get players in. It's so difficult to get players in.

22:04You're looking back in Scotland. A more positive outlook for Scotland, which is good, even though we used to get hammered. But I used to get hammered up in Scotland. You used to get hammered everywhere you went. That's not just Scotland, me. You used to get hammered when he walked into our dressing room. Quite rightly so. Rory, a little bit on the rest of the teams that we're not talking about. We obviously, I think, talked a bit about France. I think you've mentioned Portugal. We've obviously talked about England being potential. Is there anyone we're missing out on here that you think we should be talking about?

22:37Wayne Stoll and my thunder. If you look at Portugal's squad, it's nuts. If you go through that, if you try and list all their good players... Take us through the start of the 11th and what it would look like. You will forget three. Well, you've got Diogo Costa, the Porto goalkeeper, but then it's in midfield and attack that you've got the real strength. I will forget somebody. Vitinha João Neves at Benfica Bernardo Silva's OK at Man City he's a pretty good player Rafa Liao probably the most talented player in Italy Dior Giota some tall guy who's played for Man United and Real Madrid he's a substitute now can still score penalties the depth that Ruben Diaz in defence the depth they've got everywhere is incredible for a country that small they are I think a real they're a real threat well see when we were talking about the balance of England's team so if you watch how Portugal play They build with the back three and they have one in midfield.

23:26And they have six across the front line. So we're a bit cautious in how we defend. They just get the attacking players on the pitch and they'll be tough. I think the Dutch have got that kind of... They've got a nice balance of the squad. They've got two or three really big players who'll deliver. I'm not quite sure where their goals will come from unless it's set pieces. Their problem's been actually the last few years that they've just not produced centre-forward. They always produce great centre-forwards, haven't they? Well, it's because... Someone wants to explain this to me, that basically in Holland, every team wants to play out from the back.

23:59And it's a development lead, so all the players are young. So you get a lot of young centre-halves who are great on the ball. Which means the best way to beat a team with young centre-halves who are great on the ball, get a massive striker. Just get a really big striker. And if you go back through the Eredivisie top scorers, it tends to be Greeks who are 6 '3". That's what you need to succeed as a striker in the Eredivisie. Just be a 6 '3 Greek. And you'll store loads of headers. you'll get a big move you'll be rubbish wherever you go and then your club can reinvest there's no centre forwards out there if you look around world football if you think of the Dutch if they get centre forwards they produce some of the best wingers you'll ever see as well and wide players you look at Harry Kane and Haaland even just in the Premier League then Watkins maybe after that there's no forwards so that's where you say the game change where everyone's trying to play out from the back and I watch I go and watch my kids play, under eight football at times, the two centre-halves next to the goalkeeper, they're playing out from the back, and then they can see the goal, and they try it again, they can see another goal.

25:04It's like, yeah, the time to develop, but ultimately, you need to develop how to win as well, and how to manage a game. Not under eight, but the older you go up, and then the centre-forward are getting forgotten about, and they're not getting the ball. So the game has changed a lot, where there's actually not many number nines out there. at all? So Portugal, Holland, France, obviously Spain, I think, there's all the traditional ones you can make a case for. So Spain, you could see a pathway with a team with Rodri in it, just not losing any games. Italy probably got the most accomplished coach in the tournament in Luciano Spalletti.

25:38The squad's not as, it doesn't have all the stars that it had 10, 15 years ago, but they're still the Italians, they're good at the Euros. Belgium, I think, have been pretty impressive under Tedesco. I think it's basically unbeaten and not to be honest no one's gone into it in a rich vein of form so England obviously lose to Iceland but the French drew nil-nil with Canada and they beat Luxembourg 3-0 that doesn't track me it's been a very worthwhile warm-up game the the Portuguese I think were beaten by Croatia they you know there's there's lots of kind of teams who are struggling for form struggling to find exactly what they're meant to look like so it might be the space for for someone less traditional I think Austria look quite good there's a potential and Hungary, they'd be the two...

26:19Sorry. They'd be the two from outside that traditional group of like eight who you'd expect to do well who maybe could cause a shock. Are we not just looking... I mean, obviously when you... Is France not just the outstanding team that if they don't blow up go on and win this? Yeah, and they could also have sent a second team of 26 players who would stand a decent chance of winning it as well. Yeah. But I don't know, said the same in the last Euros and they sort of I think what France have got is a real good experience and blend with the squad of players who have been successful I think that's for me that's the difference with France and England that's the only difference where we've got players who know how to win England there's very few players who have won many things in the squad I remember in Qatar what was really striking about France was the fact that Griesman who you think of as being this kind of electric forward but Griezmann now just kind of does whatever he needs, whatever job he's doing, Griezmann goes and does it.

27:20And so if he wants to play as a 10 for a bit, because that's what France need, that's Griezmann. If you need someone to kind of run beyond, that's Griezmann, drift out to the left or the right. Kind of fits in everywhere, and having that kind of player who can just make those decisions for himself in a game, I think it's quite rare now. So I'm just going to do a little straw poll of who's going to win it. England, hands up. We got four hands France, hands up A lot of hands there A lot of hands Portugal, hands up Ooh I don't think we need to go Holland Anyone throw another team in there that's going to win it?

28:05Spain, I think Spain Spain are going to win it So I think there It looked to me like France With the most hands Portugal with a second and England with a third so that completes I think this show that's where we're at on the overlap fan debate we think that France are going to win it we think that Portugal will come second and England are going to come third well I'll get to the finals and get knocked out that is the end of the show and John apparently you're going to play us out is that right? yeah that'd be a great escape great escape

29:07I always wonder why we're not liked.

29:12You