Five Scotland talking points as pressure mounts on Clarke
Here are some of the key talking points ahead of the game at the Rheinpark Stadium.
The pressure is on
Scotland suffered defeat against Iceland (Andrew Miligan/PA)
Scotland are in dire need of a victory ahead of their World Cup qualifying campaign, which takes place in the autumn against Denmark, Belarus and Greece.
Scotland looked like they had turned a corner after a solitary win, against Gibraltar, in 16 matches, when they recorded three impressive Nations League victories in a row. But they followed up by losing six goals in Hampden defeats against Greece and Iceland.
Goalkeeper SOS
Squad update.
IN: Ross Doohan & Callan McKenna.OUT: Angus Gunn & Robby McCrorie.
Congratulations to both goalkeepers on their first senior call-ups 👏#LIESCO pic.twitter.com/JX0jrSs5VS
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 8, 2025
Steve Clarke called up Aberdeen second-choice keeper Ross Doohan after Cieran Slicker endured a difficult debut in the wake of injuries to Angus Gunn and Robby McCrorie on Friday, and with Craig Gordon, Liam Kelly and Zander Clark all missing through injury.
Doohan has 13 Scotland Under-21 caps to his name and nearly 200 first-team appearances and the 27-year-old looks likely to start to give Slicker some respite.
Facing the minnows
There are only three professionals in the Liechtenstein squad and they are listed at 205 in the FIFA world rankings, although they were on the end of bottom-ranked San Marino's first win for 20 years in November.
Liechtenstein have started their qualification campaign with three defeats without netting a goal, the latest a 3-0 loss against Wales.
Previous meetings
Stephen McManus headed a late winner in the first meeting (PA)
Scotland have laboured to wins in their only two encounters against the Alpine principality. Stephen McManus headed a winner seven minutes into stoppage time at Hampden in September 2010 to saved boss Craig Levein from a disastrous competitive home debut.
Mario Frick had grabbed a shock opener on his 36th birthday before Kenny Miller levelled. Craig Mackail-Smith's first goal in his first start for his country was the difference between the sides in Vaduz in the return fixture in the Euro 2012 qualifiers.
Changes afoot
Clarke signalled he would freshen up the team more than he usually does and he will have to make at least two outfield changes after losing Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay to injury.
He is likely to revert to a back three in the wake of the returning Celtic defender's absence while Andy Irving and Kieran Bowie are pushing for debuts after Lennon Miller won his first cap off the bench against Iceland.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Fifa warned about free speech restrictions at 2026 World Cup
The warnings follow recent US government policies under President Donald Trump, which include a travel ban affecting 12 countries, such as World Cup qualifier Iran, and heightened criticism over responses to civil unrest. The United States will co-host the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico, with California's Rose Bowl also set to host matches during the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which starts on Saturday. Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, said: "Fans travel to the World Cup to celebrate and express their passion and any attempt to curtail our fundamental rights, including the right to free speech, is a betrayal of the spirit of football. "We're particularly concerned about the potential for selective enforcement and discrimination against fans based on our perceived political views or national origin. "FIFA must obtain the necessary guarantees to ensure fans from all over the world are able to safely travel and attend the games." Human rights organisations have voiced concerns about increasing restrictions on freedom of expression, particularly regarding pro-Palestinian protests. Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, said: "FIFA should publicly acknowledge the threat US immigration and other anti-human rights policies pose to the tournament's integrity and use its leverage with the US government to ensure that the rights of all qualified teams, support staff, media and fans are respected as they seek to enter the United States, regardless of nationality, gender identity, religion or opinion." The US government has stated that the travel ban will not apply to players or team staff from qualified nations. However, it will prevent fans from Iran and other affected countries from attending matches in person. FIFA and the US State Department have been contacted for comment.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Dave Ryding, Britain's most successful Alpine skier, to retire at end of 2025-26 season
Dave Ryding, Britain's first-ever Alpine skiing World Cup winner and one of Britain's all-time greatest winter sport athletes, will retire at the close of the 2025-26 season. The 38-year-old has competed on the elite circuit for ten years, securing seven podiums – six in slalom, one in parallel slalom – in that time. The highlight of his career to date was a historic win in Kitzbuhel in 2022, the first by a Brit in the World Cup's 55-year history. Ryding is one of four British skiers to have ever recorded World Cup podiums - the most recent a third place in Madonna di Campiglio in December 2023 - and the only one to claim a victory, as well as amassing three World Championships top-10s and two Olympic top-10s over the course of his career. Ryding said it was a 'natural' decision to retire and that it was important for him to go out on a high. He recorded his best-ever World Championships results in the 2024-25 edition in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, a sixth place in slalom, and his goal is to secure a similar career best in the Winter Olympics next year. The Lancashire native told The Independent that, 'After the last Olympics, I think I was quoted as saying, I'd rather cry than do another four years, or have a divorce or something like that! I wasn't thinking I would get another four years out of myself. As you get older the younger guys catch you up and you naturally peter out. So I took it year by year, and I really felt like I went in all in every year.' But the drive and hunger to compete remained, and with Milan-Cortina on the horizon, Ryding says it felt like the 'right time' to announce this would be his final season. 'It was quite an easy decision, taking into consideration my family as well and the sacrifices they make with me being away. It was nice to think, let's draw a line there and go absolutely all in again, and then come the Olympics try to do my best ever performance.' Ryding, who is Britain's highest-ranked Alpine skier, competed in seven world Championships and Milan-Cortina is set to be his fifth Olympics for Great Britain. He took a different route than most elite Alpine skiers, growing up training and competing on dry slopes in the UK before making the transition to snow in his 20s. He made his debut on the World Cup circuit in 2009, making history as the oldest race winner in 2022 aged 35, as well as the first Briton. His highest placing at an Olympics so far was ninth in slalom in Pyeongchang in 2018. He will likely continue to contest the final World Cups of the 2025-26 season after the Games next February, but that will be his final major goal as a professional athlete. 'Whether that's the number one spot or eighth, let's see, but I want to be better than ninth and sign off with my best ever Olympic result,' he said. 'That's exactly where my mind's at, to do the best I've ever done.'
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Tuchel makes honest admission over England start after World Cup wake-up calls
England manager Thomas Tuchel has no concerns over his side ahead of next year's World Cup after an underwhelming start to life in the Three Lions hotseat Thomas Tuchel has insisted England will be ready for the World Cup - but admitted he must improve. Tuchel confessed it has been a 'big challenge', he is adapting to the job and he is 'far from perfect' after England were given two major wake-up calls in the space of four days. The humiliating defeat by Senegal and their unconvincing win against World Cup minnows Andorra has set the alarm bells ringing about England's chances next summer. But Tuchel says the job is not as easy as the army of armchair fans think but England must stay calm as he stressed they will definitely qualify and have a year to get better. The England boss said: 'We need to get better. I need to get better. There's still a long way to go. Next week is not the World Cup. It's in one year and we'll be smarter at the next World Cup qualifier. 'I think it's very important now we stay calm and stay together. I feel this togetherness between the players and the staff from all of us. It's very important we remind ourselves this is needed if we want to get better. 'It's just a learning curve. The job looks always easy from the outside. There are always millions of football coaches who have an answer and better ideas and I'm far from perfect and far away from that I think I do everything right. 'It is a big challenge, I knew this before. I adapt to international football, I adapt to selecting camps, how to influence team and staff in a short period of time, which is then very intense.' Tuchel won his first three games without conceding a goal but England were poor against Andorra and were thumped by Senegal. That made the England boss admit that the start to his £5m-a-year job to win the World Cup has been far from ideal. Tuchel added: 'I want to win every match. So it's not perfect. But I still stand by the decision to select this team and see these players in these combinations and take the responsibility for it. 'If you know me, then you know after a loss I will never say yes it's a good start. Never. I will never allow that to myself. 'With a job and building an atmosphere and building a group and being a leader it's about more than just results but of course I'm judging myself also on results.'
