'Scotland's rallying words prove hard sell after Munich'

On nan time aft nan nighttime before, things were icy successful nan Olympia-Eissport-Zentrum, nan rink that doubles arsenic Scotland’s media centre successful Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

This spot is an oasis, an flight from nan bedlam - and now vexation and anger - of Munich, but location are definite things that Steve Clarke and his players can’t debar nary matter really agrarian nan setting.

The thoughts successful their ain heads, for example. The mind-dulling reality of what Germany did to them, and what they did to themselves, astatine nan Allianz Arena.

There wouldn’t person been galore takers for this news conference. Callum McGregor stepped up.

Experienced head. Respected. Well-versed successful talking astir bad beatings successful Europe aft immoderate of his experiences pinch Celtic complete nan years.

McGregor did what he had to do. He held his hands up, apologised to nan Tartan Army, called Friday's shellacking a humbling acquisition that has near a sour sensation successful nan mouth.

His team, he said, didn’t get adjacent capable to Germany, didn’t make them consciousness uncomfortable, didn’t do themselves justice.

Switzerland and Hungary would now smell blood, he predicted.

There was much of that, tons more. He said astir coming backmost to guidelines campy straight aft nan lucifer and you tin only ideate what nan travel of astir an hour-and-a-half must person been like.

He revealed that nan players hadn’t pored complete nan grisly specifications yet. That video convention will beryllium a blast. Famous faces cowering down couches arsenic this footballing Exorcist plays retired successful beforehand of them.

In his thankless task, McGregor did his champion and said pinch honesty and sincerity, but nan rallying words were a difficult sell.

The campy nan Scotland players returned to was different to nan 1 they near connected Thursday, a spot much gray, much gloomy than before.

The epic standard of Scotland’s conclusion did thing that appeared beyond nan capabilities of man - it silenced nan Tartan Army.

At 4-0 successful nan stadium they were still singing. When they benfitted from an ain extremity to make it 4-1, successful a infinitesimal of delicious gallows humour, they sang astir nan Germans not singing anymore.

At 5-1 they yet fell quiet, for illustration heroic prize fighters succumbing astatine past to nan changeless blows of a amended opponent.

McGregor touched connected nan indebtedness nan players beryllium nan fans and he meant it. The problem, though, is that Scotland’s ills did not conscionable driblet retired of nan entity connected Friday.

The awesome momentum they had successful qualfying abruptly went retired of nan model erstwhile they confirmed their spot successful Germany.

They’ve won 1 of their past 10 games, scoring 12 and conceding 26. A communicative has built up astir those matches.

Scotland mislaid heavy to England, France and Spain - but they’re 3 of nan champion teams successful nan world, truthful nary ugliness there.

Then they drew pinch 2-2 pinch Georgia and 3-3 pinch Norway successful their Euro 2024 group, but they’d already secured their spot successful nan tournament, truthful who cared?

After that it was nan 4-0 nonaccomplishment to nan Netherlands, but much clip was spent talking astir nan first 70 minutes, erstwhile Scotland were impressive, alternatively than nan last 20, erstwhile they imploded.

Three much friendlies followed. A nonaccomplishment to Northern Ireland, a dreary 2-0 triumph complete Gibraltar, and a ropey 2-2 against Finland. Those were friendlies, though.

This was Clarke’s mantra. He was trying things out. He was chopping and changing pinch his substitutions.

He sewage everything he wanted to get retired of nan games, which were glorified training exercises.

Germany would beryllium different. Big match, immense arena, nan competitory animals successful his squad would travel retired to play. Five-one. Five going connected seven.

There’s been clear signs of Scotland successful diminution for galore months.

The insipid quality of Friday successful Munich - nan singular deficiency of aggression, nous and big-game mentality from their biggest names - was shocking, but Scotland person been connected nan descent since past September.

McGregor is convinced they tin put nan wheels backmost connected nan motorcycle for Switzerland successful Cologne connected Wednesday, but seeing is believing. And not a batch has been seen from Scotland successful a worryingly agelong time.

He said he was still a spot earthy astir Friday. “The only group who tin hole this is us, truthful we person to find a solution.”

After truthful galore sub-standard caller performances, culminating successful a crippled successful Munich wherever they didn’t triumph a area aliases grounds an effort of their ain connected goal, nan thought of uncovering solutions earlier Wednesday is an workout rooted successful unsighted hope.

Clarke has a goalkeeper successful Angus Gunn whose assurance looks shot. A right-wing backmost successful Anthony Ralston who looked haunted successful Munich.

A first-choice centre-back successful Ryan Porteous who stupidly sewage himself sent-off and will beryllium banned.

A midfield afloat of names who were utterly out-played. And an attacking crippled that looks arsenic blunt arsenic tin be.

He has a batch of things to lick and very small clip successful which to lick them. “Keep nan faith,” he said connected Friday, much successful dream than expectation, you felt.