Shankland & Gilmour to start? Scotland Q&A with Neil McCann

Scotland's 2nd lucifer of Euro 2024 against Switzerland is approaching and we gave supporters nan opportunity to inquire erstwhile winger Neil McCann his thoughts connected really Steve Clarke's broadside should style up connected Tuesday successful Cologne.

Here's a action of responses from nan Q&A session...

Fraser: Would you see Kenny McLean astatine centre-back fixed he has been playing location for Norwich? He appears acold amended connected nan shot than nan others we person there.

“No, consecutive no. The 3 centre-backs I would spell pinch is Jack Hendry connected nan right, Grant Hanley successful nan mediate and Kieran Tierney connected nan left.”

Brian: For nan Switzerland game, do you deliberation Gilmour and Shankland will play? I deliberation they should to beryllium fixed a chance but besides that we request imaginative and tenacious players for illustration Gilmour and an retired and retired goalscorer for illustration Shankland to beryllium there, to springiness america a chance of nan win.

“I would play both. I understand Gilmour missing retired against Germany successful favour of Christie. I really chose that myself, but I deliberation we missed his bravery to get connected nan ball. His willingness and composure to enactment connected nan shot nether unit is thing we’ll request to let John McGinn and Scott McTominay to get successful interaction pinch Shankland. I consciousness a spot for Che Adams because of really reliable nan Germany crippled was, nary support and nary service, but I would commencement pinch Shankland up top.”

Scott: Do you deliberation Friday night’s capacity (or deficiency of) reminded america of nan acheronian days of Bertie Vogts and it was obscurity adjacent a practice of conscionable really acold we person advanced? How does nan head prime nan players up aft that and would dropping John McGinn beryllium a bully idea?

“No, obscurity adjacent nan acheronian days. The capacity was very poor, individually and collectively. Although nan tally of results that we’ve been connected is very poor, I still judge we tin recapture nan shape which saw america large wind nan group and qualify.

“The problem is we’re missing 2 large players successful Lyndon Dykes and Aaron Hickey and I don’t deliberation we’re a federation that tin spend to miss 2 important players and it not person an impact. Dropping John McGinn is not a move I would entertain astatine nan moment.”

Anon: Is it not clip to beryllium bold and commencement Tommy Conway up front? Looked a activity of caller aerial erstwhile he came connected against Finland. He’s speedy and pinch his spot could play nan Dykes domiciled well.

“He’s not arsenic beingness arsenic Dykes, no-one we person tin play that Dykes domiciled arsenic well. Conway has done good for his nine this season, but I don’t deliberation he’s fresh for a starting position.”

Andy: We intelligibly sewage our distances incorrect connected Friday night. Adams isolated and you could thrust a autobus betwixt nan midfield and defence. Would you tweak nan strategy aliases is it horses for courses?

“I wouldn’t tweak nan system. We we’re virtually a 5-4-1 retired of possession but you're right, nan biggest problem for maine was nan area astir nan centre-backs which Ilkay Gundogan kept connected finding.

Sally: Would you work together that arsenic a mini federation conscionable getting to nan Euros is simply a awesome achievement? We person to beryllium realistic and recognise we do not person capable value players to make an impact. Would it not beryllium amended to return 22 of Scotland's champion young players and support them together?

“The players who sewage america present merit to beryllium here. I deliberation we’re each honorable capable to judge we’re not going to triumph it. I retrieve Wales doing really good 1 year, they had a World people subordinate successful Gareth Bale, which possibly we don’t have, but nan group of players is bully capable to advancement for nan first clip successful our history. I don’t judge bringing a group of young players complete present to get perfectly battered is bully for anyone.”

Jake: Neil, what are your thoughts connected Grant Hanley? Is he up to world standards aliases could we spot him struggle for illustration Porteous connected Friday if he starts?

“I would person started Grant Hanley. He’s possibly not sewage capable minutes nether his belt, which is why he didn’t start, but I would commencement him.”

Anon: Do you deliberation we should alteration goalkeepers? Not saying it was Angus Gunn's responsibility but letting 5 goals successful ain't bully for confidence.

“It’s not bully for nan confidence. I would astir apt put a large information of blasted connected Angus for nan first, 3rd and 5th goals. That being said, location weren’t galore walk marks successful nan team.

“I deliberation it would beryllium unfair, we’re already going to alteration 1 of nan backmost five, there’s an statement we whitethorn alteration nan correct broadside too, truthful I would support nan goalkeeper.”

Neil: Scotland seemed to springiness Kroos and Rudiger each nan clip successful nan world to prime their passes. Surely we should've man-marked Kroos and pressed Rudiger quicker and much aggressively. Why do you deliberation Steve Clarke abandoned his pressing crippled for Germany of each teams?

“You can’t property and support a precocious line. If you spell and property aggressively and don’t get it right, you get perfectly hammered. We ever felt they were going to beryllium deep, it didn’t work.

“The problem is Germany played pinch a backmost four, which almost became a backmost two, and erstwhile Kroos dropped successful it meant their spare man was ever successful done nan middle. I don’t deliberation we were ever equipped to spell and property them for illustration that.”

Kev: Do you deliberation 1 of those talented cardinal midfielders that we person needs to measurement up and beryllium a imaginative force? They are each bully footballers but they are besides each similar, they would each alternatively play those short 10-yard easy passes. We request them to commencement trying to play nan defence-splitting walk and not fearfulness giving distant possession.

“I’m really not judge that McTominay, McGinn aliases McGregor are that type of player. I would play McTominay and McGinn up of Gilmour and McGregor successful almost a container statement and conscionable unleash them, fto them tally beyond, that’s their strength.”

Ian: Neil, successful 1999 you and Davie Hopkin were nan past 2 players from Inverclyde to play astatine nan aforesaid clip successful a competitory lucifer for Scotland. With Greg Taylor and Lewis Morgan successful nan squad, will some beryllium connected nan transportation astatine nan aforesaid clip successful either of nan adjacent 2 games?

“I don’t cognize whether personification tin return maine and large Hoppy’s mantle. Morgan is simply a precocious preamble into nan squad, against Finland he played disconnected nan near and looked aggressive. Both he and James Forrest tin supply america pinch immoderate width. Whether we’ll spot Lewis and Greg, arsenic he’s up against Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney, I don’t know.”