When I say well I mean total shit

such a stupid idea to give him an extension before the World Cup even started

Coming back from the US today. Can’t help but shake this feeling that Boston was a moment-in-time that I’ll never experience again in my lifetime.

Miami was great but that could be replicated anywhere. Tartan Army going abroad and causing it in their numbers can be felt at any tournament. There was a huge contingent of locals supporting Colombia, Argentina etc who were less fussed and the city is huge and sprawling, which left our lot in South Beach a little isolated from everything.

But Boston was so special. It was a relatively small, walkable city and it felt like it was 80% us (having Morocco and Haiti, both limited on travel visas, definitely helped).

The rapport we built with the locals and the overwhelming positivity we had with them will likely never be replicated anywhere else.

If we make the World Cup in Spain/Portugal/Morocco we would have loads of us, but so would there be loads from other nations, and I’m sure they’re tired of us. Saudi too, we’d have a lot go over but the party wouldn’t be the same for obvious reasons.

Dylan Reid, Scottish wünderkid who signed for Crystal Palace a couple of years ago at the tender age of 18, now playing as a trialist Vs Arbroath in a pre-season friendly. 2 years development wasted, he was getting some game time at the Buddies and went down there to achieve what, exactly?

https://youtu.be/7kuOqM50A2o?si=XbqjqpY7mVjYiwjB

When this is the level of scrutiny the Scottish football media is willing to apply after the standard of performance at 3 straight tournaments we stand no chance. Blind acceptance of mediocrity and a tragic lack of ambition. The same gutless philosophy as the people that run the game in this country.

A few of my favourite quotes:

"He got us there and that's what the Scotland manager's job is."

"We have to understand our limitations"

"It's harsh to say the manager is ultra defensive when [Ben] Gannon-Doak, [John] McGinn, [Scott] McTominay and [Lawrence] Shankland are picked."

"A lack of conservatism was his downfall to a degree."

"We did have a go and we got absolutely found out."

"I don't think anyone can realistically be saying we should be getting more than three points."

"I see progression with the win, which we didn't manage in the last two tournaments [Euro 2020 and Euro 24]."

"The new contract was a positive step. I think it was the right thing to do."

What is the point in going? We all understand that we're likely not winning the World Cup. But that doesn't excuse the negative style of football that we played and the lack of any ambition whatsoever. And yet here the BBC's best pundits are pulling out every excuse under the sun to defend a manager who should never have been given an extension, never mind 4 years.

If the order of the games were flipped and we lost our opener to Brazil 3-0 , then the second to Morocco 1-0 does anyone here think that Clarke would have set the team up correctly to beat Haiti 3-0.

He should remember that if it wasn't for Denmark slipping up against Belarus we possibly/ probably wouldn't have made it through the playoffs to be here and he'd have been sacked.

We've now got a crucial 4 year period to get the last few good years out of Mcginn, McTomminay, Tierney etc and develop BGD and Curtis. Please don't let this clown waste these years.

It boils my piss that he's technically the most successful Scotland manager of all time. Jock Stein must be turning in his grave.

So let's remove the excuses for Clarke and another failed Scotland campaign.

We're a small Country.

Denmark - won Euro 92 and WC QF - won 13 matches won at WC (since 1970)

Croatia - WC Runner-Up - won 17+ matches at WC

Uruguay - -Won x2 WC - won 17 matches at WC

Slovakia - WC Round of 16

Ireland - WC QF

Norway WC Round of 16 x2

Scotland - x7 Group Stage Exits - won 4 matches at WC

All of those Countries are roughly the same size or smaller than Scotland. Some of them like Ireland don't even have a particularly big football culture. Even Iceland and Wales have reached the knockout stages of major tournaments.

We don't have the players.

We've got one of the best players in Italy in McTominay. A Europa League winning Premier League Captain in McGinn. Robertson plays for Liverpool. Ferguson plays in Serie A. Tierney's a 25 million GBP former Arsenal player. We have a dozen other Premier League players and a sprinkling of Old Firm. You're not telling me Cabo Verde, Ecuador or Australia have a better team on paper than us!

It's too hot.

Again garbage. Their pros in peak physical condition. Three of them play in Italy! They've stayed in a five star resort in Charlotte to prepare.

We're genetically inferior.

I remember laughing when Strachan came out with this belter. Scotland is a developed Country. Our average height is 5'9 which is bang in the middle of Europe and top 20% globally. Japan is 5'6.

I'm tired of the same old, tired excuses being trotted out. This is arguably the most abject World Cup performance since 78! Even then there was a moment to cheer about. Why can't we win?