Scotland Men's Football Team

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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When Che Adams wheeled away in celebration having thought he had helped snatch a draw with the final kick of the game, there was a sense Scotland were about to get what their performance merited.

Missing over 10 players including John McGinn, Aaron Hickey, Lewis Ferguson, Scott McKenna, and with Adams not fit enough to start, Steve Clarke’s depleted group were mostly disciplined and restricted Croatia to few quality chances.

Up the other end 18-year-old Ben Doak in particular shone on his first start, driving the team forward up the right wing and helping tee up Christie's opener.

There were enough bright points, as there were in defeats by Poland and Portugal, but again it ended up in a close one-goal defeat.

The stats make for grim reading given it is one win - against Gibraltar - in their last 15 outings, while it is now 35 goals conceded in that run.

However that does not tell the whole story. It was always going to be tough for Scotland playing the very best in European international football, even with everyone fit and available.

But with so many players injured and amidst a change of shape and style, the task has become even tougher.

Clarke has made sure Scotland have been competitive regardless, but the longer the poor run continues the more talk of positives will fall on deaf ears.

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It's safe to say Che Adams is loving life in Italy.

Since switching Southampton for Torino in the summer, the 28-year-old strker has four goals in nine games and is, unsurprisingly, in fine fettle for Scotland's Nations League assignment in Croatia.

"Everything's going well so far and hopefully we can keep it up," Adams said in an interview with the Scottish FA. "I'm just, right now, riding the wave and enjoying every single minute of it.

"I think it was always there in the back of my mind to go abroad. I just wanted to try something different in my career because football is a short career and you've got to maximise it as best as you can.

"When the opportunity came up, I was up for taking it."

And taking it he has. The striker couldn't have got off to a better start by scoring the winner in Torno's first home game of the season, and has quickly got the supporters on side.

"I was obviously delighted to get off to a good start," he added. "It was nice to get the first goal on home soil and the guy on the speakerphone, when you score, it’s an amazing feeling."

Adams, of course, is not the sole Scot flying the Saltire out in Italy with Lewis Ferguson at Bologna and Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay at Napoli, while Under-21 captain Josh Doig is in Serie B with Sassuolo.

"It just opens everyone's mind up and shows that there is possibilities for people to go abroad and enjoy themselves and take on a different challenge," Adams added.

"I think it's easy to stay in your comfort zone and stay where you know best, but really expanding your life and the life skills you pick up along the way is massive."

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Defender Anthony Ralston believes Scotland deserved more from their opening two games in the new Nations League campaign but says they must not dwell on missed opportunities.

Steve Clarke's side lost to Poland and Portugal but acquitted themselves well despite slipping to defeats that extended Scotland's run without a win in competitive matches to eight games.

The Celtic right-back is certain the squad is in the right frame of mind to tackle Croatia on Saturday.

"We're in a good place as a squad, there's good morale in the team," he said.

"The aim is to get a win, at the very least a point on the board. Over the course of the last two games, I believe we deserved more out of the games.

"Unfortunately in football, sometimes that doesn't happen. It's down to us as a team – as individuals and a squad – to put those wee things right to ensure we take something away from these games, which we've deserved.

"It's very difficult [to keep spirits up] when you deserve results from your performances and they don't come.

"It can become taxing personally and as a team and as a squad. But, we have a really good squad of boys and it's important we use that going into games in the future and we don't dwell too much on the past as there are a lot of positives to take from performances."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Zagreb

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Steve Clarke is adamant Scotland "haven't regressed" despite their "horrible" run which leaves them with just one win in their last 14.

The Scots are in Zagreb to take on Croatia in their third League A Nations League game after opening the campaign with back-to-back defeats, but Clarke is not focussing on the numbers.

"I don't bother about stats, I'm not a stats person, I'm not driven by stats," the head coach said. "We've played a lot of really good opponents in the last year, from October last year, the results haven't been quite what we wanted in terms of victories.

"We haven't regressed, I don't think we've gone backwards and we've always worked hard to try and work forwards."

The run includes matches these League A games, Euro 2024 and friendlies against nations such as England, France and the Netherlands.

When asked if Scotland are a victim of their own success, Clarke said: "It's a nice price to pay when you have matches of this calibre, when you qualify for tournaments, when you get to the highest level of the Nations League.

"We've done something right to be here, we’re now finding a level which is a little bit more difficult for us, but we have to meet that challenge head on.

"If we do that, we’ll come out the other side with a better group and a better understanding of what you need to do at this level to get positive results."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Zagreb

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Head coach Steve Clarke has been addressing the media to preview Scotland's Nations League match with Croatia on Saturday.

Here are the key things he said:

• Clarke said, "not winning games is horrible" as Scotland aim to end their wretched run of one win in 14.

• In saying that, though, the head coach added his side "haven't regressed".

• When asked if his side are a victim of their own success, he said, "it's a nice price to pay."

• As the head coach, he has to look at the bigger picture. "I’m not saying we’re using this campaign to prepare for the next qualifying campaign, but there is an element of that where we can use these matches to try and prepare ourselves."

• Clarke has "admiration" for how Croatia develop and perform on the biggest international stage despite their size and urges Scotland to use them as "a model".

• He said it's "disappointing" to have the game televised.

• On his squad, James Forrest has not travelled and will be assessed by Celtic before Tuesday's game against Portugal.

"It’s going to be nice that someone is actually older than me on the pitch."

At the age of 39, it's rare for Luka Modric to be able to say that these days.

But it looks set to be the case with Craig Gordon likely to start between the sticks for Scotland against Croatia.

In his last game against Steve Clarke's side, Modric scored as his side won 3-1 and knocked Scotland out of Euro 2020. It's a fond memory for the Real Madrid captain.

"The last match against Scotland has excellent memories for all of us," he said previewing Saturday's game in Zagreb.

"It was a difficult game against a tough opponent, as it always is against Scotland.

"Their main qualities are passion, toughness and togetherness. It reminds me of Croatian teams, in a way, because you can tell playing for Scotland is a great honour and it has huge importance for the players."

Many members of the Tartan Army would have been hoping, when the draw was made earlier this year, that the magic midfielder would have retired from the international scene by now... no such luck.

When asked how he's still pulling on the national team shirt, he said: "It's a love for football and for Croatia. Playing for the national team is something special, it’s the highest of honours and that's what motivates me."

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• This will be the first meeting between Croatia and Scotland since Euro 2020 when the Vatreni won 3-1 at Hampden to eliminate the Scots from the competition.

• Scotland are unbeaten on their two previous away trips to face Croatia, drawing 1-1 in October 2000 and most recently winning 1-0 in June 2013 thanks to a Robert Snodgrass goal.

• Croatia have won each of their last three home matches across all competitions and will be aiming to win four such games in a row for the first time since October 2020 and for the first time without conceding since June 2016.

• Scotland are winless in their last eight competitive matches (D3 L5), the longest streak of their history. The Scots could lose four games in a row for the first time since October 2019.

• Croatia have won six of their last eight games in the Nations League (D1 L1), after winning just two of their first 12 matches in the competition (D2 L8).

• Scotland's starting XI against Portugal on matchday two had won 493 caps between them, the most for a game in their history.

• Mateo Kovacic could make his 107th appearance for Croatia, moving him ahead of Ivan Rakitic into outright fifth for most appearances for the nation; two of the four players above him also played in Croatia's 1-0 win against Poland last time out (Luka Modric – 180 and Ivan Perisic – 136).

• Scott McTominay has scored 11 goals for Scotland, all in competitive fixtures. Only Robert Hamilton (15/15 – 1899-1911), Robert McColl (13/13 – 1896-1908) and Andy Wilson (13/13 – 1920-1923) have scored more for the nation with 100% of them coming in competitive fixtures.

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Croatia boast talent including Real Madrid superstar Luka Modric and Manchester City pair Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol. Gulp.

So how might Scotland tear up the form book and stun the Croats in Zagreb on Saturday?

Croatian football expert Vrdoljak Juraj says slick counter-attacking and savvy set-pieces will be key.

"Scotland's recent form could easily get a team like Croatia very complacent, but I don't get the feeling they are. No one is taking the game lightly or thinking it well be easy, not in the slightest," Juraj told the BBC's Scottish football podcast.

"Especially with the home crowd, Croatia is very focused on the game. Croatia has a debt to settle after the Euros and they need to prove themselves.

"Scotland will need to be fast on their transitions. Croatia will try to score as soon as possible because that's one thing that brings out the nervousness from the game.

"But Scotland will have opportunities to counter-attack. Scotland need to be fast on the break and also if they manage to get a set piece close to the Croatian goal, that's where the chances lie.

"There's been some issues with Croatia defending set-pieces, so those are the two two biggest chances to hurt us."

Despite having turned 39 last month, midfielder Modric is still the man who "pulls the strings" for the Croats, says Juraj.

He added: "For Scotland, the one player you don't want to allow a lot of time on the ball, a lot of time to pick his options, is Modric.

"He's still controlling the whole midfield and he's near his 40th birthday. He's still the main player of this squad and our most important player."

Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson took a sizeable step towards a return to first-team action when the 22-year-old completed 90 minutes for Everton's under-21s against their counterparts from League One side Reading on Monday. (The Athletic), external

Las Palmas is a possible destination for Kieran Tierney as Arsenal look to let the out-of-favour 27-year-old Scotland left-back leave on loan in January after his recovery from injury. (Grada3), external

Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay says he would happily reopen contract talks with Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland, whose current deal ends next summer, but warned he will never smash the club’s wage structure to keep the 29-year-old club captain. (Daily Record), external

Scotland midfielder Kenny McLean says it only took one discussion with new Norwich City manager Johannes Hoff Thorup to persuade him to sign a new contract this summer despite the 32-year-old being linked with Rangers. (The Herald), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Midfielder Kenny McLean insists Steve Clarke's Scotland "are a good team" and head to their Nations League assignment in Croatia "with belief" despite just one win in 14.

Andy Campbell
BBC Sport Scotland

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Scotland's Nations League contest with Croatia in Zagreb on Saturday will be only the seventh time the sides have met.

And it is the Scots who boast the better head-to-head record over the past 24 years.

A 3-1 victory over Scotland at Hampden in 2021, when the delayed Euro 2020 took place, was Croatia's first win against the Scots.

Back in 2000, a Kevin Gallacher goal denied hosts Croatia victory after Alen Boksic had given them the lead.

Next came a 0-0 stalemate at Hampden in 2001 then a 1-1 friendly draw at Hampden in 2008, where Kenny Miller replied for the Scots after Niko Kranjcar's opener.

The sides were again drawn together in a World Cup qualifying group for the 2014 finals. Robert Snodgrass' goal gave Scotland a surprise away win in the first group encounter and Gordon Strachan's side followed that up with a 2-0 victory at Hampden, Snodgrass again on target and Steven Naismith also scoring.

Eight years on and a Luka Modric masterclass eased Croatia past Steve Clarke's Scots, with the Real Madrid man scoring after Callum McGregor had cancelled out Nikola Vlasic's opener. Ivan Perisic clinched it.

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Goalkeeper Craig Gordon will go into the upcoming Nations League games "unfazed" by the prospect of coming straight back into the team, says former Scotland boss Alex McLeish.

With Angus Gunn dropping out of the squad injured, 41-year-old Gordon is in line to start against Croatia and Portugal just months after the Hearts man thought his international career might have been over.

Regardless of his age, McLeish insists the veteran keeper, who has won 75 caps and became Scotland's oldest international with an appearance off the bench against Finland in June, will still have the drive and ability to shine in a tough double-header against Croatia and Portugal.

"He's got fantastic experience and will go into these games unfazed," McLeish told BBC Scotland. "You still get that adrenaline rush, whatever age you are.

"Angus has been tremendous for us, he's been an ever-present almost, but we’ve got a good man going in to back him up."

After failing to "meet the standards" Scotland set in qualifying with a poor showing at the Euros in Germany in summer, McLeish is backing head coach Steve Clarke to turn things around amid a poor run of just one win in 14 games.

But Clarke has been rocked by an injury crisis, which has the former Scotland boss fearing another challenging camp.

"Steve will definitely be wanting to try and get some sort of positive result because it is a difficult time when you lose a lot of your players," he added.

"It's a really tough one but he's still got some players who are in great form at the moment. And he always sets them up well in these away games.

"But if he loses a lot of the quality in the team then that is going to make it much more difficult. Believe me, it’s all about the quality of the players at the end of the day."

Scotland assistant head coach John Carver says he is not poised to be the next departure from Steve Clarke's backroom team as he continues to enjoy his role despite recent results but admits he is always open to other offers. (The Herald), external

Former Scotland defender Russell Martin is one game away from being sacked as Southampton manager, with the Premier League club drawing up a list of potential replacements if the team loses at home to Leicester City following the international break. (TeamTalk), external

Ally McCoist remained coy when asked about a Daily Mirror report, external suggesting ITV bosses are very hopeful the former Scotland striker and current football pundit would accept their offer to appear on "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here" despite rejecting approaches in 2019 and 2022. (TalkSport), external

Former Scotland Under-21 striker Dapo Mebude has opened up on the struggles he has faced battling back from the horrors of a life-threatening car crash - and Oostende going out of business - to kick-start his career with Dunfermline Athletic. (The Courier), external

Scotland's upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Portugal will not be shown on live TV but will be free to watch on Viaplay's YouTube channel. (Scottish Sun), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Ben Doak says it was "gutting" to miss out on Scotland's Euro campaign and believes he could've made a difference in Germany.