Scotland head coach Steve Clarke admits it might be too much for Ben Doak to start a second match in four days as he considers changes to his team for Monday’s must-win clash in Poland.
Doak was the star performer against Croatia on Friday with his run and cross leading to John McGinn’s late winner and generally most of the team’s best moments coming through the winger.
However, Clarke spoke again about not putting too much pressure on the 19-year-old and will examine the physical state of his players before naming his team.
You brought the noise on Friday – we need it again tomorrow 💥
See you in Warsaw, Scotland supporters!#POLSCO pic.twitter.com/qCvfxLNv2Z
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 17, 2024
Scotland need to win in Warsaw to move off the bottom of UEFA Nations League A1 and avoid automatic relegation, and victory coupled with a Croatia defeat could potentially move Clarke’s side into second place.
When asked if he was tempted to name the same team, Clarke said: “It would be tempting but you know as coaches we like to tinker a little bit and maybe change one or two things.
“I’ve got some ideas. Obviously we are only on our second day recovery now so the boys don’t know the team yet, but I’ve got a fair idea in my head what it will be.
“Craig (Gordon) had a little virus overnight. He was on the plane, he’s with the players back at the hotel. So hopefully he will be fine. There’s nothing else, everybody fit and well.”
When asked if two starts in quick succession could be too much for Doak, Clarke said: “Yeah, it could be. That’s why I haven’t named the team because all the boys who finished the game the other night, you have to look and make sure they wake up fit, fresh and ready to go. So that’s something else to think about it.”
Considering the excitement surrounding Doak’s performance at Hampden, it was put to Clarke that a lot of people would be disappointed if Middlesbrough’s on-loan Liverpool player was rested.
“Yeah, they would be. That’s my job,” Clarke smiled.
The former Scotland defender was asked whether Doak’s fearless attitude could be a game-change for the national team.
“It can be as long as we look after the boy and make sure that he continues to develop,” Clarke said.
“A lot of people see the good things that he does. Me and my coaching staff, being a little bit more analytical, will see other things that he doesn’t do quite so well, because he is only a young player and he is looking to learn.
“I think he’s in a good environment at Middlesbrough in terms of learning the game and working on his game. When I watch his progress there, from when he got into the team until now, he’s improved already, in my opinion.
“But a lot to work on over the years. At the minute you guys can all be excited about what he does with the ball but there’s plenty of time for him to develop.
“And I will say it again, and it’s probably boring, it’s important not to put too much pressure on the boy.”
A Scotland victory and Croatia defeat at home to Portugal could even put Clarke’s side into second place, which would send them into the Nations League quarter-finals and make them one of the top seeds in the World Cup qualifying draw.
Clarke was asked if he had learned lessons from June’s must-win game against Hungary, which Scotland lost 1-0 after failing to get their attacking game going until too late. The Scotland boss has since changed his formation to a back four amid the ongoing absence of Kieran Tierney.
“You never know how a game’s going to turn out when you set up,” he said. “I didn’t know how it was going to play out against Hungary and I don’t know how it’s going to play out (on Monday) night.
“But I would expect a very open game because Poland like to attack, they like to get forward.
“They have shown they can score goals, they have also shown that they can concede goals. So hopefully it’s a good game and we get the right result.”
