For the first time since 1998, Scotland will be taking part in a major international tournament in Euro 2020.
After years of disappointment and torment, Scotland will finally get to mix it up in the European Finals once again. Frankly, it’s been too long.
However, the Tartan Army find themselves in a tough group. They will face Croatia, Czech Republic, and their long-time rivals – England.
Certainly, there is one game out of the three group stage fixtures that will stand out to Scotland fans. It’s been nearly 25 years since the last time Scotland and England played each other in the Euros.
This is the clash fans will be waiting for. But what else is there to know about Scotland coming into the Euros?
Everything You Need To Know About Scotland in Euro 2020
Who is the Scottish National Team Coach?
Currently, Scotland are managed by Steve Clarke. He has managed West Brom, Reading, and most recently Kilmarnock in the past.
As a player, he collected six caps for Scotland between 1987 and 1994. Clarke was best known for his time at Chelsea, where he spent eleven years and made 421 appearances.
Clarke was impressive at Kilmarnock, winning 40 of the 79 games he managed. He accumulated a record points tally for Killie and won the SPFL manager of the year award two years running. He left in 2019 to take the vacant Scotland post, where he remains to this day.
So far, he’s proven his worth for Scotland. Leading them to their first major tournament this millennium is more than enough to justify this.
Sure, Clarke’s Scotland were soundly beaten by Belgium and Russia. That’s not too surprising, given the gulf in quality of players available. On paper, Serbia also had a better squad than Scotland, but they were able to grind out the result they needed. For their desire and stout-heartedness, Clarke deserves credit.
Who Has Been Selected in the Scotland Squad for Euro 2020?
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), David Marshall (Derby County), Jon McLaughlin (Rangers)
Defenders: Liam Cooper (Leeds), Nathan Patterson (Rangers), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Grant Hanley (Norwich City), Scott McKenna (Nottingham Forest), Stephen O’Donnell (Motherwell), Kieran Tierney (Arsenal), Declan Gallagher (Motherwell), Greg Taylor (Celtic), Jack Hendry (Oostende)
Midfielders: Billy Gilmour (Chelsea), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Scott McTominay (Manchester United), David Turnbull (Celtic), Ryan Christie (Celtic), John Fleck (Sheffield United)
Forwards: Ryan Fraser (Newcastle United), Lyndon Dykes (Queens Park Rangers), Che Adams (Southampton), Kevin Nisbet (Hibernian), James Forrest (Celtic)
Che Adams’ First Major Tournament
Che Adams raised a few eyebrows when he committed his international future to Scotland. Previously, he had been capped by England at Under-20s level, but never for the first team.
He was eligible through one of his grandparents and decided to make the jump following talks with Clarke.
Adams has had a respectable season for Southampton, scoring nine goals and registering five assists. Previously, he’s scored goals for Birmingham and Sheffield United.
Realistically, with England’s depth up top, Adams was going to have a tough time carving out a first team place. If international football is what he desires, then switching to Scotland seems like a canny choice.
The Tartan Army aren’t blessed with quality in the final third – the adaptable Adams could be the solution.
Group Stage Fixtures
Scotland will first play Czech Republic on June 14 in Glasgow no less. Czech Republic are the least intimidating of Scotland’s three Group D opponents, but they’re no pushovers.
They have quality in their ranks, most notably in the form of Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal. Patrik Schick is perhaps their most dangerous player, scoring 13 goals in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen this season.
Croatia will pose a threat. They didn’t make it to the World Cup final by accident three years ago, and they’re still a strong side. However, they’re not quite the team they were in 2018.
Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Rakatic have both retired from international duty. Furthermore, they don’t have a young superstar that springs to mind. There’s Nikola Vlasic, but he’s 23 now.
They still have players like Ivan Perisic, Mateo Kovacic and the legendary Luka Modric, so don’t underestimate them.
England have a very strong squad, exemplified through their vast array of attacking options. It’s fair to say that Scotland don’t have anyone to rival the talents of Harry Kane or Phil Foden.
It won’t be easy for Scotland, but on the day, anything can happen. This season has shown us how bizarre and unpredictable football can be – a Scotland upset is possible.
Scotland will be happy to just have made it to the Euro finals. Despite this, with players like Andy Robertson, Billy Gilmour and a determined manager, they aren’t whipping boys. The Tartan Army have come to fight, and no game against them will be easy.
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