Football
Scotland’s Euro 2024 squad: Kris Boyd on big decisions facing Steve Clarke after naming 28-player provisional group
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has revealed his provisional 28-player squad for Euro 2024, but what are the big talking points?
Liverpool teenager Ben Doak has been handed his first call-up despite the 18-year-old not yet starting a Premier League match and only recently returning to training after a knee operation in December.
Celtic winger James Forrest has been recalled nearly three years since his last international appearance and there is a place for uncapped Bristol City defender Ross McCrorie.
Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack, who missed out on Euro 2020 due to injury, is also included despite not featuring for the Ibrox side since March.
Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd, who featured 18 times for the national side, assesses the big decisions and if Scotland can make their mark in Germany this summer…
Do Scotland have enough at the back?
“When you look at the players that are missing due to injury – Nathan Patterson and Aaron Hickey – it’s a blow, but you have to see the positives.
“It opens the door for Anthony Ralston and Ross McCrorie to show what they can do at right-back. Those two guys will have opportunities.
“McCrorie is uncapped and he’s shown in big games that he can perform. Look at what he did with Aberdeen under Derek McInnes.
“Ralston has not played a lot of football for Celtic but when he’s been called upon for Celtic he’s not let them down.
Anthony Ralston (left) made 13 league appearances for Celtic this season
“Andy Robertson had a stop-start season at Liverpool. But every time he puts on a Scotland jersey, he’s been excellent.
“The understanding that him and Kieran Tierney have on that left hand side will be key if Scotland are going to get anything from the Euros.
“It’s the way they dove-tail each other. If Robertson gets forward, Tierney protects him – and vice versa. They are two intelligent players.
“I hope Clarke doesn’t move Tierney to the right, but he might have to. The combination those two have got when they have both played on the left will be key if Scotland have to progress.
“Grant Hanley has missed a lot of football, Scott McKenna is out on loan but has been playing.
“Jack Hendry has been the mainstay with Ryan Porteous, so there are options there. John Souttar has missed a few games for Rangers at the end of the season, whether he’s fit or not remains to be seen.
“Steve Clarke would like to have a settled backline. The defence will not be an area Clarke will be messing about with.”
Who will lead the line?
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Former Scotland striker Kris Boyd discusses who could lead the line for Clarke
“Looking at it, the forward places is what everyone is going to talk about.
“Che Adams is carrying an injury and he’s the one Steve Clarke has gone to. Lawrence Shankland has had an unbelievable season.
“He’s Hearts talisman and captain and led by example. It’s improved him, responsibility has come with that.
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A look at some of the best goals Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland scored in the Scottish Premiership this season as he finished top goalscorer
“He’s scored goals wherever he has been. He looks in a good and happy place, scoring regularly.
“Everybody expects him to go to Germany and start, I’m not sure that is the case.
“Adams is still the number one, and don’t forget what Lyndon Dykes has done in a Scotland shirt.
“Steve Clarke has got a good mixture.”
Is midfield Scotland’s big strength?
Scott McTominay and John McGinn have impressed under Clarke
“When you look at John McGinn, his goalscoring has been unbelievable for Scotland. He’s one behind Ally McCoist and level with Kenny Miller.
“That shows you what McGinn has done.
“Scott McTominay, in that last campaign, the goals he scored were crucial as well. It will be a big boost for Callum McGregor in the way he finished the season with Celtic, there were doubts over him.
“Billy Gilmour and Ryan Christie have played big parts in where Scotland are at the moment. Stuart Armstrong is injured so he will be given a bit of time.
“There are plenty of options in midfield.”
Who will miss out?
“There is definitely going to be a goalkeeper left out.
“Angus Gunn is the number one at the moment so he’s definitely going, Zander Clark has played ahead of Craig Gordon and Liam Kelly’s played a lot of football as well.
Zander Clark (left) has restricted Craig Gordon to just seven Hearts appearances this season
“A lot points to Craig Gordon being left out, but that experience he’s got could be important.
“I hope Ben Doak [doesn’t miss out] as, for me, he could be someone who could spring a surprise.
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Clarke discusses the inclusion of Liverpool’s Ben Doak in his 28-player provisional squad
“A lot of players have injuries, so we don’t know how bad they are. Steve Clarke will be hoping a lot of players can get fit.”
Can Scotland cause an upset?
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Kris Boyd discusses how Scotland will approach their Euro 2024 opener against Germany and believes the team are not at the tournament to just make up the numbers.
“If you look at the way Steve Clarke has managed Scotland, there was a defensive set-up to start with but that has evolved.
“Scotland can cause teams problems, we’ve seen that. Clarke will believe they can go into that stadium in Munich and get something at the game. Scotland deserve to be at the Euros!
“The run they were on prior to the last six or seven games, they had to get the job done. Clean sheets, defending from the front. If the team does its job on the evening, you have a chance of picking something up.”
Key dates ahead for Scotland
Monday June 3: Euro 2024 warm-up, Gibraltar vs Scotland at Estadio Algarve, Portugal; kick-off 5pm
Friday June 7: Euro 2024 warm-up, Scotland vs Finland at Hampden Park, Glasgow; kick-off 7.45pm
Friday June 7 – Final 26-player squad submitted to UEFA by 11pm
Saturday June 8 – Final 26-player squad announced
Sunday June 9 – Scotland squad fly to base camp in the Bavarian resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Scotland’s Euro 2024 schedule
Scotland have history kicking off tournaments, having been drawn to face Brazil in the opener at World Cup 1998, a game they narrowly lost 2-1 to a second-half Tom Boyd own goal.
This time around the venue is the Munich Football Arena (Allianz Arena) where Steve Clarke’s side kick-off the opening match of Euro 2024 against hosts Germany on June 14.
The Scots also face games against perennial qualifiers Switzerland in Cologne on June 19, with Hungary – who reached the knockouts in 2016 – awaiting in Stuttgart on June 23.
If Scotland finish as one of four best third-placed teams…
One of:
Sunday June 30 – Group B winners vs third-placed side from Group A/D/E/F (RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne)
Monday July 1 – Group F winners vs third-placed side from Group A/B/C (Waldstadion, Frankfurt)
Tuesday July 2: Group E winners vs third-placed side Group A/B/C/D (Allianz Arena, Munich)Quarter-finals
If Scotland finish first in Group A and win round of 16 game…
Friday July 5 (MHPArena, Stuttgart)
If Scotland finish second in Group A and win round of 16 game…
Saturday July 6 (Merkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf)
If Scotland finish as one of four best third-placed teams and win round of 16 game…
One of:
Friday July 5 (MHPArena, Stuttgart)
Friday July 5 (Volksparkstadion, Hamburg)
Saturday July 6 – (Olympiastadion, Berlin)
Semi-finals
If Scotland finish first in Group A, win round of 16 game and win quarter-final…
Tuesday July 9 – kick-off 8pm (Allianz Arena, Munich)
If England finish second in Group A, win round of 16 game and win quarter-final…
Wednesday July 10 – kick-off 8pm (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund)
If Scotland finish as one of four best third-placed teams, win round of 16 game and win quarter-final…
One of:
Tuesday July 9 – kick-off 8pm (Allianz Arena, Munich)
Wednesday July 10 – kick-off 8pm (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund)
And finally, the final…
Sunday July 14 – kick-off 8pm (Olympiastadion, Berlin)
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