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McArdle on first steps, huge strides made & the Netherlands

McArdle on first steps, huge strides made & the Netherlands

BBC News24-02-2025

Michael McArdle addressed the media before Scotland's first home game in the Nations League against the Netherlands on Tuesday night.Here are the key things he said:Reflecting on Friday night's defeat in Austria, the interim head coach said there were "plenty positives behind-the-scenes as the massive, blind, first steps in a new journey" were made.It "wasn't a pretty game" but Scotland "lacked the clinical edge in both boxes".Easier to keep the positivity up despite defeat due to debutants and fresh faces who "don't carry any burden from previous experiences".McArdle expects a "difficult game against a top nation" and expects to "suffer without the ball". He added "Structurally," it's very important on Tuesday to gain any control."Self-belief" is key to Scotland finally being able to end their struggle in front of goal, and having a "determined, clarity of mind" when faced with goal. The interim head coach believes "huge strides" have been made in doing that.

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