World Cup would make Clarke 'one of Scotland's best'
Steve Clarke can become "one of the most successful managers in Scottish history" by reaching the World Cup, according to Stephen O'Donnell.The Scots defeated Liechtenstein 4-0 in Vaduz on Monday, three days on from a 3-1 home loss to Iceland. Clarke's side will begin their quest to reach a first men's World Cup since 1998 away to Denmark in September and will also face Belarus and Greece.O'Donnell played 26 times for Scotland, mostly under Clarke between 2018 and 2022, and was also part of Clarke's Kilmarnock side."If you'd offered Steve Clarke the chance of qualifying for two Euros and a World Cup, I think he'd have bitten your hand off at the start of his tenure," he told BBC Scotland.
"We were a country that was in a real kind of, I don't want to say a mess but in a troubled time. Lots of players calling off, lots of players not wanting to turn up."Now you see, with the recent friendlies against two lesser sides, it would have been very easy for a lot of these big players who earn very good money to say, 'do you know what, I want to have a couple of weeks off for my summer'. They didn't. They all come because that's where the country is just now."We're wanting to compete for major tournaments, to try to qualify and hopefully bring success. So Steve Clarke, if he managed to qualify for the World Cup, he'd probably be one of the most successful managers in Scottish history."The problem facing Clarke is meeting renewed expectation from a Scotland support that has attended the past two European Championships without watching their side win a game at either finals.Getting to the Americas next year without the need for a play-off will require topping their qualifying group."That's what probably makes it the most interesting group," 33-year-old Motherwell vice-captain and right-back O'Donnell said."The three of us are only separated by 20 Fifa world ranking points, so it's tight. We'll be up for it, we'll be ready and hopefully the country can come together and get, in these six games, six big performances and enough to make history again."
'Qualifying difficult - but Scotland good enough'
Scotland's home form will need a shot in the arm if history is to be made, given the national side has conceded six goals in the past two matches at Hampden, including three to Greece.A stirring win over Spain on Glasgow's southside is now more than two years ago, with a new generation of players, including teenagers Lennon Miller and Ben Doak, now being asked to take Scotland forward.Liverpool winger Doak, in particular, could be key to how Scotland line up in future and to the country's chances of success when the difficult-looking World Cup campaign gets under way in Denmark in the autumn."If Ben Doak's available, I think he makes a massive difference with the attacking prowess he has, the pace he has," O'Donnell added. "There are not many other players of a similar profile in the squad, so if he's fit, you'd probably opt for a 4-3-3 formation."Five at the back is good away from home, but at Hampden, you'd like to give a bit more momentum to the fans and having players getting at full-backs would certainly have that impact."It's going to be difficult, but I do think we're good enough. We showed it in the last campaign for the Euros with how well we started. "That's going to be needed again against top opposition. We're capable of it, we have more than enough quality and experience."Don't forget, the thing this squad has done is develop as a team and gained international experience, not only in qualifications but in tournaments. That's going to be needed not only to hopefully get us over the line but to then perform well at the World Cup. I think we can qualify."
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