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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Liam Bryce

Steve Clarke picks his Scotland XI as boss agonises over 'difficult decisions'

Scotland boss Steve Clarke has selected the side which will face off against the Czech Republic on Monday.

The manager cast an eye over his players for the final time on Sunday before they take to the Hampden pitch in their massive Euro 2020 opener.

Clarke admits he's faced a considerable selection dilemma with a number of players impressing in friendlies against the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

It's a decision which has been made even harder with his Scotland players operating at a "high level" in training.

"As you would expect, it's a difficult selection process - 26 players all doing their best in training, a really high level of training," Clarke said.

"A lot of them have done really well for me before in international games. Difficult decisions, but I am paid to make them."

Meanwhile, captain Andy Robertson sent Christian Eriksen his best wishes on behalf of the Scotland squad and paid tribute to the Denmark players who shielded their stricken team-mate from the crowd and cameras.

Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during his team's clash with Finland on Saturday and is now recovering in hospital.

"I'd like to send my well-wishes to Christian Eriksen, his family, all the Danish players, the Danes as a country," Robertson said. "What we witnessed was scary for the football community. Luckily the news today is a wee bit more positive.

"The way the Danish players dealt with what must have been a heart-breaking thing for all of them, they stood up to it. That will be the picture I remember and everyone should remember because, when one of their friends was in a bad place, they stood up and protected him.

"Whatever else happens in this tournament, for me they will be the heroes.

"Their captain (Simon Kjaer), it nearly brought a tear to my eye the way he stood up."

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