Steve Clarke has hit back at Scotland ’s knockers for rushing to write off his team as World Cup no-hopers.
Clarke enjoyed one of the most important results of his international reign on Tuesday in Vienna when a 1-0 win over second seeds Austria catapulted his men into a play-off place in Group F with just four games remaining.
And a bristling Clarke came back firing after the entire qualification campaign for Qatar 2022 was being dismissed as a mission impossible following last week’s defeat to runaway leaders Denmark.
Clarke said: “Look, it’s a good result for us. We knew coming here to Austria we had to get something. We wanted to do what we’ve always talked about and that’s staying in contention right up until November. We want to fight for that second place.
“We’d have liked to fight for first place but the Danes have shown they’re a class act. They showed that again on Tuesday by beating a good Israel side 5-0.
“So maybe people were a little over the top with what they said about us after we went to Denmark last week. Maybe that was a little over the top and premature.
“Let’s get behind the team and let’s try and get second place in the group which takes us to a play-off. Remember, it doesn’t take us to the World Cup.
“But it would be progress as it would mean we’ve jumped above a team that was seeded above us. That should help the FIFA rankings and we’ll continue to get better.”
A third straight win in next month’s Hampden showdown with Israel could all but clinch second place and a chance at reaching a first World Cup Finals since France 98.
As we revealed yesterday, ticket sales for that titanic clash went through the roof after the final whistle sounded on Tuesday night, with the Tartan Army crashing the SFA website in an online stampede for big match briefs.
And Clarke can suddenly sense the feel good factor is returning after a largely disheartening last few months.
The manager said: “I’m so pleased for the players after such a tough week. It’s not about me.
“Our players, I keep saying, are such a good group. They want to get better and they want to improve. Nights like that will help them do that.”
