Scotland Men's Football Team

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Former Scotland defender Willie Miller: "Sometimes the opposition are just better than you and the Greeks were better. Sorely disappointing, a great performance from Greece and a poor one from Scotland.

"Greece were just a better side, we had no answer for them. We had no creativity and no threat, we didn't make it difficult at all for Greece. It's League A we wanted to be in and we failed tonight."

Former Scotland striker and coach Steven Naismith: "The goals conceded at the time they were is a massive thing. The goal after the break changed the whole feel. It was tough for Scotland."

Former Scotland forward James McFadden: Scotland promised so much coming into the game. As good as Thursday was, it was as bad tonight.

"Real sore one to take. Greece looked really comfortable. We didn't have enough performers. Too many players were well off their best.

"Greece have shown they are a good side, but we didn't do nearly enough to cause them problems."

Injured Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes: "It just wasn't the night for us. We've been down before and come back from it. We need to make sure we're focused for the next games and then go into the World Cup qualifiers."

Scotland fans, were you at Hampden on Sunday evening or following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the defeat.

Have your say on Scotland's performance, external.

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Ryan Christie: "We're frustrated, especially with how well the first leg went.

"Coming in tonight we saw it going a lot differently. We probably didn't create enough and they were pretty cut-throat going forward themselves. Overall a very frustrating night at Hampden but we've got to pick ourselves up for the friendlies in the summer.

"We're not naive enough to know we're going to have it all our way. There's been plenty bumps in the road and this is probably going to be one of them. It's about now how we react from this and bounce back hopefully get ourselves in a really good place going into the qualifiers.

Kenny McLean: "Difficult to take. We put so much into the first leg and knew they were a good team.

"The goals are so disappointing on our behalf and we didn't create enough either. To work so hard to get into the position we were in and kind of throw it away there is really disappointing.

"We need to get better. We're going to play Greece in the near future so we know we cannot underestimate them in the slightest."

John McGinn: "We started pretty well, had a couple of chances, we just let ourselves down with the first goal we conceded. We've got to reflect now before two friendlies in the summer.

"It's an embarrassing night for us, everyone is flat in the stadium, we let ourselves down.

"No threat in behind, probably too easy to pick up. Greece deserved to win. That will maybe give us a kick up the backside for the World Cup qualifiers - we know they are no mugs.

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Scotland boss Steve Clarke: "I talked about setting down a marker before the game, Greece have done that tonight.

"Greece were the better team on the night. We started okay, had one or two half chances.

"They score with their first attack. We didn't get back behind the ball quick enough and we didn't create enough - that adds up to a disappointing night.

"I'll go away and look at myself to see what I could have done better. Maybe I didn't make enough rotations. Maybe I could have made more to freshen the team up.

"We have to analyse it, park this tournament because we go down to League B, and try to do better.

"I talked before the game about setting down a marker, I think Greece have done that tonight.

"We've learned that when we do everything right, with the ball and without the ball, we're a good team at this level.

"We've got two friendlies in June to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers in the autumn."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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On an evening the man they called 'King' was commemorated by all including his old pal Sir Alex Ferguson, Scotland were crying out for the magic of the Lawman.

Like in Greece, they made an explosive start, building on the stirring pre-match atmosphere created in honour of legendary striker Law, who died in January at age 84.

Unlike a few days ago, though, they could not create a case deserving of a goal.

Giannis Konstantelias' opener punctured the place and from then on, Scotland never looked like replicating the storm the Greeks brought on Thursday.

Steve Clarke's side were terrorised down the left, while Ryan Christie – the only change from the first leg – looked lost out wide, having excelled more centrally for Bournemouth this season.

But in truth, even Scotland's tried and trusted in their safe space appeared disorientated.

It was a far cry from the all-round performance on Thursday that garnered much praise and instead one which regurgitates questions about this team that surfaced last year at Euro 2024.

The Scots showed their fight and mettle to force this play-off, but choked at crunch time.

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• The only previous time Scotland have hosted Greece for an international match came in August 1995 in a European Championship qualifier, winning 1-0 at Hampden thanks to a goal from Ally McCoist.

• In the previous meeting between these two sides this week, Greece attempted 24 shots and finished the game with 2.7xG. While failing to score on the night, this was their highest xG total in a Nations League match to date.

• Scotland have lost just two of their past 22 competitive internationals on home soil (W15 D5), losing to Ukraine in June 2022 and Poland in September 2024.

• Greece have won each of their past three away games, all in the Nations League. They haven't won four away games in a row since October 2016, while in competitive internationals they last did so in September 2008.

• After a run of 10 competitive matches without managing a victory between October 2023 and October 2024 (D4 L6), Scotland have won each of their past three such fixtures. If they win this game, they'll already have as many competitive wins in 2025 (2) as they managed in 2024 (W2 D2 L5).

• Since the start of 2023, Scott McTominay has averaged a goal every other game for Scotland, netting 11 goals in 22 appearances. Indeed, McTominay has netted exactly a third of his team's goals across all competitions in this period (33% - 11/33).

• Vangelis Pavlidis has only scored in one of his last 19 appearances for Greece, although that was the last time he played for his country on British soil, netting a brace against England at Wembley last October.

• John McGinn could make his 75th international appearance for Scotland in this game (currently on 74 caps), if he does, he'd be just the sixth outfield player to reach this milestone (after Kenny Dalglish, Andy Robertson, Darren Fletcher, Alex McLeish, and Paul McStay).

Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, at £40m, is now top of the list of most valuable Scottish footballers, with Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson falling from first to third at £20m and Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson now second on £22m. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay says playing in Serie A for Napoli has "opened his eyes" and helped him thrive at international level.

McTominay, 28, made the move to Italy last summer after Manchester United sold him for a fee of £25.7m.

Since making the move McTominay has become a regular in the Napoli team and has scored seven times for the Italian giants, who are three points behind league-leaders Inter Milan.

He has also been in prolific form for his country recently as well, scoring 11 goals in his past 22 Scotland outings.

"I would say potentially it has done," McTominay said when asked if the move has made him a better player for Scotland.

"It's opened my eyes to a different style of football. It's opened my eyes to a lot of different things off the pitch as well, which I'm very grateful for.

"Whatever club you play at or if you get a transfer or something like that, you need to have open arms and look to improve."

His magnificent performances for Scotland have also seen him voted as the Scottish Football Writers' international player of the year for the second successive year.

"Very proud," he said of the award. "I'm so grateful to everyone who's helped me in this journey, especially Steve Clarke, because he's the reason why I've been performing so well and the reason why I love coming to the camp, because he makes it such an amazing atmosphere.

"And for me, I just want to do as much as I can for him and keep thriving as much as possible."

McTominay will earn his 60th Scotland cap if he plays against Greece on Sunday and says he never thought he would reach that landmark.

Scotland are 1-0 ahead on aggregate thanks to McTominay's penalty in the first leg as they try to maintain their Nations League A status.

"So I'm very, very pleased and honoured to play 60 games," he said. "I would have never thought that as a young boy.

"For me, it's just important to make sure that I'm always available, both for club and country.

"Availability is so important to me, looking after myself to have as long a career as I possibly can. I want to go really far into my 30s if it's possible. For me, that's something that I've always had a goal of doing.

"So no matter what happens, I just want to make sure that I'm playing well and prepared to give my all for both club and country."

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Greece manager Ivan Jovanovic says he will tweak his tactics from Thursday's defeat by Scotland for Sunday's return leg at Hampden.

Scotland lead the Nations League A play-off tie 1-0 thanks to Scott McTominay's penalty and a resolute defensive display in the first leg.

Jovanovic says he took learnings from that game, but expects Scotland to set up in a similar manner to how they did in Piraeus as they seek to maintain their top-tier status in the competition.

"Scotland have benefitted by playing at a high level, including the Euros," Jovanovic said. "There will be changes given what we learned on Thursday.

"Scotland's control of first half was very good. They were able to control the tempo. That was brought about by the midfield and the control they had in the game.

"I expect something similar to Thursday. To try and press and they will have the home fans behind them. I don't expect too many changes to Scotland team."

Jovanovic says the make-up of his team's midfield has caused him headaches recently and promised changes in that area in order to facilitate what he hopes will be a winning performance.

"I have not decided on what team I will play," he said. "We still have one training session.

"The midfield line up has bothered me over the last few days. It will be a midfield line up we haven't seen before. But I have confidence they can play the way required to win the game."

Head coach Steve Clarke chats exclusively to BBC Scotland about formations and striker George Hirst before Scotland face Greece in the second leg of their Nations League A play-off on Sunday.

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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke says it is a "little anomaly" that the national side have slipped to 45th in the current world rankings.

They had climbed as high as 30th in Clarke's tenure, in 2023, but fell to 52nd in late 2024 before jumping back up to 45th.

But Clarke is adamant the current crop are a better team now and more equipped to deal with top-tier nations as a result of the fixtures they have faced.

"We have improved," he said. "If you look at the world rankings, it will tell you different. That's a little anomaly that seems to have popped up with the Nations League.

"But, as a team, we have improved and the players have improved at this level too. We understand what it takes to win a game at this level. Thankfully, recently we have been able to show we can do that."

Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie will be available for selection again by Clarke ahead of Sunday's second leg at Hampden after missing out on the first leg due to suspension.

"I've seen Ryan a couple of times for Bournemouth and people will tell you that he is playing a slightly deeper role," Clarke said.

"But when you watch Bournemouth play, he is still the one who is leading the high press and is the one that gets after the game and gets forward to the edge of the box.

"All they have done at Bournemouth is given him a nominal position, if you like, but he plays the same way Ryan plays. It does not matter where you play Ryan on the pitch, he brings energy and quality and that is what he always brings for us as well."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Scott McTominay hopes Scotland can "restart and kick on forward again" as they look to retain their Nations League A status ahead of this year's World Cup qualifying campaign.

The 28-year-old midfielder is set to hit the 60-cap milestone in Sunday's Nations League play-off against Greece as he continues to relish his impressive first season with Serie A title hopefuls Napoli.

Having spent all of his club club career until last summer with Manchester United, the 28-year-old has already established himself as a key figure in Antonio Conte's side.

"Both incredible football clubs," he said. "I'm very grateful for the journey that I've had, but I still have many more years in my career where I want to carry on improving and just making the most out of my career.

"I never want to look back whenever I retire and think that I could have given more, or I could have optimised my career and had more time on the pitch than I did. That's just a goal to improve at all costs and obviously help Steve Clarke and all the players while I'm here.

"It's so important to me looking after myself and my body to have as long a career as I possibly can. I want to go really far into my 30s if it's possible. That's something I've always had a goal of doing."

McTominay's penalty on Thursday means he has now scored 12 goals in 59 appearances.

Asked what his favourite Scotland moment has been so far, he replied: "There's been so many. There's been Kenny McLean's goal away in Norway [June 2023], which was amazing.

"My two goals at home against Spain spring to mind and obviously getting to the major tournaments. I'm just hungry for more and for this group, I feel like we can restart and kick on forward again."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has been speaking to the media ahead of Sunday's Nations League play-off second leg against Greece.

Here are the key points from his media conference:

• Clarke says it is good for the side to have important matches leading into World Cup qualifiers and not friendlies to prepare them.

• He thinks Scotland have improved as a team despite world rankings suggesting otherwise, the squad importantly now "understand what it takes to win at this level" and he believes they have shown that recently.

• Scotland will face a "good Greece side" at Hampden on Sunday evening, but they're focused solely on winning the game

• Clarke says he "set out early in his reign to get core group of players" in the side as he acknowledges the list of cap milestones being ticked off by multiple squad recently.

• Scotland will set up to try to win the game and, just as importantly, they will "hopefully set a marker" for the World Cup games against Greece later in the year, he adds.

• Clarke says he doesn't need to ask the experienced players in the group to help the new or younger players settle in, adding that the players who have been there for some time now are "very good at ing on that education" to newer squad .

Scotland captain Andy Robertson will hold crunch talks over his Liverpool future in the off-season, when the long-serving 31-year-old will have just 12 months to run on his contract and with Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez a concrete target as the Premier League eye a new left-back. (Football Insider), external

Hearts midfielder Finlay Pollock chose to stay with loan club Raith Rovers for Friday's Scottish Championship draw with Partick Thistle rather than the Scotland Under-21 squad. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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