Steve Clarke makes conciliatory club-country noises as Scotland welcome conquerors Kazakhstan

As he cast his gaze beyond Tuesday night's visit of Kazakhstan in Scotland’s final Euro 2020 group qualifier, Steve Clarke delivered fighting talk while preaching emollience with regard to players who might favour – or be obliged to choose – club over country.

The manager was contemplating the potential hazards of the Nations League play-offs in March, which represent the only means by which the Scots can achieve a first appearance in the finals of a major tournament since 1998.

The commitment of players to their country was the subject of speculation and comment before Clarke took over from Alex McLeish, and it resurfaced when a cluster of call-offs attended the announcement for the squad for the double header against Cyprus and Kazakhstan.

Kieran Tierney was left out because of an unspecified request from Unai Emery, although the defender continued to appear for Arsenal.

Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson and Leeds United’s Liam Cooper, along with Grant Hanley of Norwich City, Scott McTominay and Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser, all withdrew with injuries. Clarke addressed the issue in terms that permit one to infer that not every absentee had been close to a summons for last rites.

“It becomes a case of not wanting to cut off your nose to spite your face,” he said. “You have to be in a position where you can get your best players. You don’t want to cause upset between players, clubs and international managers.

“So, I also have to take it at face value that every call-off is an injury call-off. The only one which was for personal reasons this time was Matt Phillips. Everyone else was flagged up as an injury by their club.

“Of course, you don’t want to harm the relationship between players and their clubs. It’s easy to say ‘invoke the five-day rule’ – but I’m not sure there are any winners when you do that. It puts the player in a difficult position – that’s probably the best way to put it.

“As you probably noticed from my short time at Kilmarnock, I don’t mind a fight if I have to have a fight, as long as it’s a fight for the right reason. If I do have to have a fight, I’ll face it head on.

“I don’t shirk away from it. I don’t think I’m a soft character. If I need to be strong, I’ll be strong but, for the moment, I don’t see any value in it.”

Other potential conflicts of interest lurk in the Nations League schedule. Scotland could face Bulgaria, Israel or Romania in the one-legged semi-final on Mar 26 for a place in the final on Mar 31. Rod Petrie, the Scottish Football Association president, has already suggested that the SPFL might look at rearranging fixtures to give Clarke more breathing space. There is also, however, the Europa League calendar to be taken into account. Should Celtic or Rangers, or both, reach the last 16, they will play on Thursday, Mar 19 and if obliged to fulfil SPFL fixtures, would be in action on Sunday, Mar 22, a scenario that would cut into Clarke’s preparatory schedule.

“All we are asking for is for a little bit of common sense to come in on that weekend,” Clarke said. “The flip side is that I don’t want Rangers or Celtic to get knocked out of the Europa League before then. If they are playing on the Thursday night the previous week, then there’s nothing we can do about that. You have to respect all sides.

“I am here for every match and every match for your country is important. These boys are representing their country, they are getting another cap, it is another game for me as international manager. It is unfair for me to answer whether a player has been influenced by their club because I don’t know.

“I want my record to be better than it is. Three wins, four defeats is no good to me. I am sure that the squad I pick in March – injuries permitting – everyone will turn up.

“I’d rather talk about Kazakhstan but I would also point to the fact that of the 23 I have here in the squad now, 22 of them have been in previous camps. They should know what my mentality is, the message I am trying to get across.”

The Scots cannot afford to treat Kazakhstan as a footnote, a lesson that should have been drawn from the ignominious 3-0 defeat in Nursultan.

A victory at Hampden would at least mean Scotland would occupy third place in Group I – their seeded position – having beaten all three teams below them in the rankings.

It would also give Clarke three successive wins, a run he believes would generate belief amongst the Tartan Army. “It would be much better than going in on the back of two wins and a draw or a defeat,” he said.

“I’ve got no doubt in my mind that in March – and I know the nation and the mentality we have in this country – Hampden will be full or almost full. I have no doubt.

“The Tartan Army have levels of endurance and their ability to put up with the pain that the national team have put them through is amazing. I’m telling you that, come March, they’ll be there and right behind us.”