Jack Rowell: Steve Borthwick leads tributes as former England and Bath head coach dies aged 87 | Rugby Union News

Jack Rowell: Steve Borthwick leads tributes as former England and Bath head coach dies aged 87 | Rugby Union News


Steve Borthwick has led tributes to former England and Bath head coach Jack Rowell following his death at the age of 87.

Rowell coached England from 1994 to 1997, overseeing 21 victories in 29 Tests and a World Cup semi-final appearance against New Zealand in Cape Town, when Jonah Lomu scored four tries as the All Blacks ran riot.

Players like Will Carling, Jeremy Guscott and Rob Andrew all flourished under Rowell’s leadership, with England winning Five Nations titles in 1995 and 1996, including one Grand Slam.

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Rowell was England head coach for their 1995 Rugby World Cup campaign

Rowell was appointed by the Rugby Football Union following an outstanding 16-year coaching career with Bath.

He transformed the west country club into giants of the English domestic game, with Bath winning five league titles and the knockout cup eight times under his direction.

In a statement, Bath said: “It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of former Bath Rugby head coach and club president Jack Rowell on Monday July 1.

“Jack Rowell, all 6ft 7in of him, was a towering figure in the history of Bath and English rugby, a unique character who will never be equalled for his extraordinary achievements as a visionary, astute strategist and inspirational coach.

“From his arrival in the summer of 1978 to his departure at the end of yet another trophy-laden season in 1994 to coach England, Jack had set about creating and sustaining an unstoppable force in domestic rugby.

“On behalf of everyone at Bath Rugby, we extend our deepest condolences to Jack’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Jack.”

Rowell returned to the Recreation Ground as director of rugby in 2002, where current England head coach and former Bath captain Borthwick worked with him.

“We are saddened to hear the passing of Jack Rowell and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,” Borthwick told www.englandrugby.com. “As a player at Bath, I had the privilege of working with him when he was director of rugby.

“He left a huge impression on me, not only as someone with incredible rugby knowledge, but also a fantastic man. His contribution to English rugby was enormous, and he will be sorely missed.”

Bath said they were making plans for a book of condolence at the club on Friday and Saturday, while flags at the Recreation Ground and Bath’s Farleigh House training base will fly at half-mast in tribute to Rowell.

Former Bath captain and England flanker John Hall, who is the current club president, paid tribute to Rowell.

“Many of us played under Jack for more than a decade and he was not just a coach to us, he was a visionary leader whose influence on our club, its players and supporters left a legacy that will endure through the ages,” Hall said.

“His strategic thinking and passion for the game transformed the club and our team into champions, both on and off the field. The numerous titles and victories we celebrated together are a testament to his exceptional leadership and deep understanding of rugby.

“Jack was a mentor and a friend to many of us, and had a huge influence with our club and international careers. His ability to inspire and motivate was unparalleled, creating a tough environment where players and staff alike could thrive.

“Several former players, who were close to him, recently had the opportunity to visit and spent time by his bedside. Despite his health challenges, it was heartening to witness that his sharp wit remained intact until the very end.

“We grieve his passing, but also celebrate his remarkable life and the profound impact he had on Bath Rugby throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Jack Rowell was truly one of a kind, and his memory will always hold a place of honour at our club.”

Steve Williams: FAW president placed under interim suspension after independent investigation | Football News

Steve Williams: FAW president placed under interim suspension after independent investigation | Football News



Steve Williams has confirmed his interim suspension, as well as the fact he has appealed, to Sky Sports News; the FAW president will receive a hearing in front of an independent committee; Williams was involved in the decision to sack Rob Page last month

Teofimo Lopez defeats Steve Claggett while Robeisy Ramirez blows away Brandon Leon Benitez | Boxing News

Teofimo Lopez defeats Steve Claggett while Robeisy Ramirez blows away Brandon Leon Benitez | Boxing News



Teofimo Lopez defended his WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight world titles with a unanimous decision win over Canadian contender Steve Claggett in Miami on Saturday night.

Claggett (38-8-2, 6 KOs), who was coming off a nine-fight winning streak, charged at Lopez from the opening bell. The 35-year-old had Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) against the ropes for much of the fight, where he landed short punches around The Takeover’s shoulder roll defence.

Lopez used his head movement at close range to evade many shots, but he was more comfortable on the outside. The 26-year-old moved often to establish distance, connecting quick combinations around Claggett’s high guard, including a flurry that hurt him in the eighth.

Claggett was aggressive at every moment, but Lopez’s athleticism prevented him from mounting any significant offence.

Lopez retained his crown with scores of 120-108, 120-108 and 119-109.

Lopez said: “I knew exactly what kind of fighter he was. I knew he would come forward and test my conditioning. And that’s what we had. We went 12 rounds.

“The will has to be stronger than the skill. And that’s what we showed. If I was tired, I know he was more tired because I worked very hard for this. We knew we had to break him down. The body shots were hurting him.

“I’m very grateful. He’s a tough fighter. I don’t think anyone should overlook him. I knew that coming into this.”

Ramirez pummels Benitez

Robeisy Ramirez produced a stunning uppercut knockout on Brandon Benitez in the seventh round of their featherweight fight

Former WBO featherweight world champion Robeisy Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs) stopped Mexico’s Brandon Leon Benitez (21-3, 9 KOs) in the seventh round of the night’s co-feature.

Ramirez set the pace early by hurting Benitez with power shots in the second and third rounds. Benitez tried to work on the inside, but Ramirez consistently created space for combinations either by pushing him off or using his feet.

In round seven, the two-time Olympic gold medallist began to move even more, touching Benitez with light punches. He then connected a devastating left uppercut that dropped Benitez, who did not recover, forcing the referee to end the fight at 2:46.

Ramirez said: “It’s no secret that Ismael Salas is one of the best strategists in the world. And so the plan was to wear him down little by little. Then, after the last round, he tells me not to look for power shots but to move a bit and to return to my [amateur] roots. That’s what I did. I touched and touched, and I found the shot.

“It’s not my first time landing a shot like that. It feels good to land a punch like that because it demonstrates that we worked hard in camp.

“I want my title back. I want the rematch against Rafael Espinoza. If it’s not with him, then I can fight against any of the other champions.”

Ali Walsh Avenges Loss to Akale

Despite dislocating his shoulder mid-fight; Nico Ali Walsh managed to hold on to beat Sona Akale in their middleweight rematch

Middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (11-1, 5 KOs) triumphed in his rematch against Sona Akale (9-2, 4 KOs), avenging his only pro defeat via a six-round unanimous decision.

The grandson of ‘The Greatest’ dropped Akale with a left hook in round three, but Akale fired back in round five with a fusillade of punches that hurt him. Ali Walsh then suffered a dislocated left shoulder in the sixth round but dug deep to finish the fight, using his right hand to connect on an aggressive Akale in the final seconds.

Ali Walsh prevailed with scores of 58-55, 57-56, 57-56.

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Steve Clarke demands explanation as Scotland denied penalty in Hungary defeat which ended Euro 2024 hopes | Football News

Steve Clarke demands explanation as Scotland denied penalty in Hungary defeat which ended Euro 2024 hopes | Football News


Scotland boss Steve Clarke demanded answers why Scotland were denied a “100 per cent” penalty which he felt may have cost them their last-16 qualification at Euro 2024.

Stuart Armstrong appeared to be brought down by defender Willi Orban inside the area with Scotland’s final group game with Hungary goalless but Argentinian referee Facundo Tello declined to give a penalty – a decision Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd said he could not believe.

Clarke sympathised with the official but said VAR’s decision not to intervene after viewing replays of the incident was inexplicable.

“100 per cent penalty,” he said in his press conference. “Somebody somewhere has to explain to me why that’s not a penalty. It’s 100 per cent a penalty.

“It’s a one-goal game, we get the penalty, it could be a different night. I’ve got other words, but I’m not going to use them.

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Willi Orban avoided punishment for this challenge on Stuart Armstrong

“It’s a European competition, it might have been better to have a European referee. The VAR was European, maybe the referee didn’t see the foul clearly on the pitch, but what’s the point in VAR if they’re not going to come in on something like that. It was a penalty.”

Former Scotland forward Boyd questioned why Tello was not sent to the pitch-side monitor by Spanish VAR Alejandro Hernandez, with Armstrong and his team-mates visibly incensed at the time.

“I’ve seen the penalty again and I cannot believe that hasn’t been given,” Boyd said on Sky Sports News. “It’s a natural football position – you get your arm across to protect the ball.

“The knee goes into the top of Armstrong’s calf. I cannot believe a penalty hasn’t been given. That would have changed everything.

“It’s a penalty all day long. If the referee had been able to go to the monitor, he might have been able to correct his wrong decision.”

Kris Boyd says he didn’t understand how Scotland were not awarded a penalty kick in their match against Hungary

Clarke: We need to work out how to score more goals

Despite realistically needing to win the game, Scotland failed to register a single shot on target until the eighth minute of added time in the second half, while three of their four shots in total came beyond the 90th minute.

Clarke refused to be drawn on what exactly had seen Scotland drop out of the European Championship in the group stage for the second tournament in a row, but admitted he would need to sit down with his staff to work out how they will score more goals in future competitions.

He said: “It’s very difficult to sit here and analyse, but sometimes after a defeat like that you need a bit of time just to digest everything and work out how the game went, why it went how it did.

“We didn’t create enough, but we did create enough to score a goal. That’s clear. Is that why we went out of the tournament?

“We scored two goals this tournament, we scored one last time. It’s one for me to go away and talk to my coaches about, about how we can score more goals at certain times in games of course.”

Rossi: We deserved to win

Kevin Csoboth ended Scotland's Euro hopes
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Kevin Csoboth ended Scotland’s Euro hopes

Victorious Hungary manager Marco Rossi said his side were worthy of their first victory of the tournament, one which gives them an outside hope of reaching the last 16 for the second European Championship out of their last three tournaments.

“The Scottish had a bit more ball possession, especially in the first half,” he admitted, but added: “In the second half it was more an up-and-down match, starting from around the 70th minute, almost 30 minutes in which there were situations from one side to the other.

“We can say that it was an equal match. Surely we had more chances, they had more of the ball, but overall I don’t think we didn’t deserve to win. It was deserved.”

On Scotland’s penalty, Rossi declined to offer his sympathies and instead drew comparisons to a foul he felt should have been given against Ilkay Gundogan ahead of Germany’s first goal during Hungary’s 2-0 defeat to the hosts in their previous game.

He said: “In the pre-match I said there was a clear foul on Orban by Gundogan, why do we have to talk now about this moment?

“I didn’t see it well from the bench, but if they didn’t give the penalty in the VAR room, they have seen it was not a penalty. Many pushes from the back in the European Championship are allowed.”

Deja vu for Scotland as their Euros journey ends with Steve Clarke’s future in question – Euro 2024 hits and misses | Football News

Deja vu for Scotland as their Euros journey ends with Steve Clarke’s future in question – Euro 2024 hits and misses | Football News


Deja vu for Scotland as lack of attacking threat costs them

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Scotland are heading home from Euro 2024 after a last-gasp defeat to Hungary saw them finish bottom of Group A

Once again the Tartan Army believed and once again they were left in tears as another campaign ended at the group stages.

It was the same story at Euro 2020, the hope after a draw with England only to falter in their third game to exit.

Back-to-back tournaments after so long is to be commended, but Andy Robertson wanted them to leave Germany with no regrets. They are certain to have a few.

Kris Boyd says he doesn’t understand how Scotland were not awarded a penalty kick in their match against Hungary

Grant Hanley headed onto the post late in the draw with Switzerland, then came so close to a late goal against the Hungarians. What might have been.

There was little attacking threat. Two goals scored in this tournament, only one of them by a Scotland player.

Injuries did play a part, pre-tournament and in camp. but after such a convincing qualifying campaign the fans who brought such joy to the tournament probably deserved a little bit more.
Alison Conroy

Is Clarke right man to lead Scotland?

Scotland manager Steve Clarke was left questioning the point of VAR after Stuart Armstrong was not given a penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Hungary

Questions will now be asked about Steve Clarke and if he is the man to lead Scotland into another qualification campaign.

He has brought joy back to the nation with back-to-back Euros but the wins have dried up with just one in their last 12.

The Mirror’s Andy Dunn says that Scotland manager Steve Clarke has performed below par during the Euros

He set Scotland up in a most defensive fashion knowing it was a must-not-lose, but that meant the likes of Scott McTominay, who was top scorer in qualifying, was all but anonymous.

Also, is his loyalty to his detriment at times? Lawrence Shankland was the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership last season but started all three games on the bench as he opted to stick with Che Adams despite his poor goal return of late.
Alison Conroy

Germany reminded how tough Euro 2024 glory will be

Germany's Niclas Fullkrug celebrates at the end of a Group A match between Switzerland and Germany at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
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Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug was the hero for the hosts against Switzerland

Germany were given a timely reminder that Euro 2024 glory won’t come easy – but Niclas Fullkrug delivered what might be a defining moment in their tournament.

Having cruised to victories over Scotland and Hungary, the hosts struggled to break down a resilient Switzerland, experts in reaching the knockout stages with this their sixth consecutive group stage success.

Manuel Akanji and Granit Xhaka led by example in soaking up Germany’s attacks while Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye were a constant threat on the counter-attack. It was so nearly the perfect performance to secure top spot in Group A.

That was until substitute Fullkrug rose in injury time to plant a textbook header into the top left corner and secure Germany what should be an easier path in the knockout stages.

Finishing second would have likely landed them Italy in the last 16. Instead, it should be Denmark, Slovenia or Serbia unless England slip up on Tuesday in Group C.
David Richardson

Wily Switzerland will prove tough knockout opposition

23 June 2024, Hesse, Frankfurt/M.: Soccer: European Championship, Switzerland - Germany, preliminary round, Group A, match day 3, Frankfurt Arena, Germany's Kai Havertz (l) cannot get past Switzerland's Manuel Akanji (M) and Switzerland's Granit Xhaka. Photo by: Christian Charisius/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
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Manuel Akanji (centre) and Granit Xhaka (right) were impressive in Switzerland’s draw against Germany

Switzerland proved a tough nut to crack for Germany – and England will be taking note, considering the Swiss could be potential quarter-final opponents.

If the Three Lions win Group C and then get through their last 16 game then they could well come up against Switzerland in the quarters, who face the runners-up of Group B, which will be one of Italy, Croatia and Albania.

Murat Yakin’s side showed against Germany they are defensively resolute, well organised and are dangerous on the counter attack.

They have plenty of experience, with captain Granit Xhaka once again impressing as he picked up his second player of the match award at the tournament.

At the back, Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji was superb and key to keeping Germany at bay, until Niclas Fullkrug’s heart-breaking 92nd-minute equaliser.

Nonetheless, Switzerland got the result they needed to progress from the group stages for a third successive Euros and they will now be tricky opponents for whoever they face in the knockout stages.
Declan Olley

Scotland reporter notebook: Steve Clarke’s side must show they are not just at Euro 2024 to make up the numbers | Football News

Scotland reporter notebook: Steve Clarke’s side must show they are not just at Euro 2024 to make up the numbers | Football News


Scotland are still at the party and have a chance of making it through to the last 16. They have given themselves this chance after an improved performance and result against Switzerland.

It was a game that Scotland will feel they could have won, but they also could have lost, given the chances the Swiss had. The 1-1 draw gives them something to build on.

They were not the passive Scotland that allowed Germany to boss proceedings in Munich, but a team that scored early and got a foothold in the game. They were on the ball more in the second half and hit the post.

Steve Clarke will know his team can and need to improve ahead of this crucial game against Hungary, but the mood is so much better now compared with the fallout from the Germany game.

Sky Sports News’ Luke Shanley analyses Scotland’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland which kept their Euro 2024 dream alive

Right from the start when ‘Flower of Scotland’ was belted out by the Tartan Army and the squad, you could feel they were up for it with a point to prove. The noise was incredible and if you can’t get inspired by that then there is something wrong.

What a start when Scott McTominay’s deflected effort hit the back of the net; bedlam ensued in the stands. The frustration was that Switzerland came right back into it and equalised through Xherdan Shaqiri’s wonderful goal after a slack pass by Anthony Ralston set him up nicely.

Scotland need to cut out the sloppy play on Sunday, but credit to Ralston who kept going. You could not question his effort.

Scotland assistant John Carver has revealed defender Kieran Tierney is going back to Arsenal to be assessed after his hamstring injury against Switzerland at Euro 2024

The big blow, however, was the injury to Kieran Tierney. He was stretchered off and will now miss the rest of the tournament, however long that may be for Scotland.

The injury to Tierney opens the possibility of Clarke changing his formation. Early in his reign, he had to tweak things to accommodate both Tierney and captain Andrew Robertson, and the back three worked with Tierney at left centre-back and Robertson left wing-back.

In the successful Nations League campaign, the Scotland boss did go back to a back four due to injuries and has tried it out in warm-up games for the tournament. I still expect Clarke to go with the back three and Scott McKenna did no wrong when he replaced Tierney around the hour mark in Cologne.

Kris Boyd says Scotland ‘did the nation proud’ as they secured a first point of Euro 2024 with a draw against Switzerland

Scotland still need to get goals, with the two at this tournament being an own goal and a shot that took a massive deflection. They all count but we can’t count on strokes of fortune like that all of the time.

Hungary also have a point to prove, having lost both games so far. Their big players have not yet made the desired impact, but there were signs in the second half against Switzerland and flashes against Germany that they will pose a threat to Scotland.

Clarke has talked about four points being the magic target and a win will see Scotland reach that tally. In the two previous Euros, that has been enough to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, so they would have every chance of progression.

It would be historic and put to bed the fact Scotland have never progressed before. Hungary could potentially get through with three points, but need to win by a reasonable margin to negate their -4 goal difference.

At Euro 2020, Scotland didn’t seem to recover from the exertions of the draw at Wembley on matchday two, by the time Croatia came to Hampden Park, they looked leggy and tired. This time around, assistant head coach John Carver has spoken about learning the lessons of what loading they put on the players.

Assistant boss John Carver is hoping for another rousing rendition of Flower of Scotland to inspire the players to victory in their crucial Euro 2024 clash with Hungary

Given Scotland had to play triple-headers in World Cup qualifying and the Nations League games, it is something they should be able to deal with better.

They have a shot at glory, so it’s time to show Europe the Scots are not just making up the numbers on and off the field.

Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn says they will give everything against a ‘hurting’ Hungary side as they look to progress beyond the group stages at a major competition for the first time

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Japan vs England: Marcus Smith to start at No 10 as Steve Borthwick makes four changes for tour opener | Rugby Union News

Japan vs England: Marcus Smith to start at No 10 as Steve Borthwick makes four changes for tour opener | Rugby Union News



Marcus Smith will return to England’s starting XV to face Japan on Saturday as Steve Borthwick’s side prepare for next month’s tour of New Zealand

In the absence of Owen Farrell and George Ford, Smith has been given the opportunity to cement his position as England’s fly-half.

The 25-year-old’s return is one of four changes to the England team that finished their Six Nations campaign with a narrow defeat to France in March, as Chandler Cunningham-South comes into the side for his first international start.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will start from the right wing in Tokyo as he earn just his fourth cap, while loosehead prop Bevan Rodd comes into England’s front row.

On England’s bench, Sale winger Tom Roebuck is set to make his international debut, while Fin Smith provides backup at fly-half.

England’s six uncapped players got their chance to impress head coach Steve Borthwick before they flew out to Japan for the start of their summer tour.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge of playing Japan at their National Stadium,” Borthwick said after naming his side on Tuesday, 48 hours earlier than usual.

“Conditions in Tokyo mean we’ll need to be accurate, keep our discipline, and maintain a level of intensity in our performance from the first whistle to the last.

“We will need to be at our very best against an opponent who will want to play fast.”

Several of England’s squad will come up against their former coach Eddie Jones who is starting his second spell in charge of Japan.

Captain Jamie George and vice-captains Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Henry Slade and Joe Marler are just some of the players to have featured heavily under the Australian between 2015 and 2022.

The match will be the first official Test between the two nations to be played in Japan, as England make their way to New Zealand for matches on July 6 and 13, both of which are live on Sky Sports.

England: 15 George Furbank, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Lawrence, 11 Tommy Freeman, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Jamie George (c), 3 Dan Cole, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Martin, 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl.

Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Harry Randall, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Tom Roebuck.

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Scotland reporter notebook: Steve Clarke’s side have a mountain to climb to make history at Euro 2024 | Football News

Scotland reporter notebook: Steve Clarke’s side have a mountain to climb to make history at Euro 2024 | Football News


As Scotland look to recover from their nightmare start to Euro 2024, Sky Sports News reporter Luke Shanley assesses their chances of making it past the group stages for the first time…

Ouch! That was sore. The focus of world football was on Munich on Friday, Scotland were centre stage and boy did we get stage fright.

From start to finish, we were not at the races. We didn’t get near Germany in all aspects of the game. No player got pass marks and it was an awful night for Scotland.

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Scotland were left humbled as they conceded five goals for the first time in a competitive match in more than 20 years

We were playing the hosts, we were playing a Germany side that is littered with talent and we did go down to 10 men, but the reality is 10 men or 11 men, we got a hammering.

Let’s not forget though, Scotland can still get out of this group, but it will be difficult.

Early in Steve Clarke’s tenure, Scotland did lose back-to-back games 4-0 against Belgium and Russia but that was the low point and start of the resurgence that has witnessed Scotland reaching back-to-back European Championships.

Kris Boyd discusses who he would start in Scotland’s second Euro 2024 fixture against Switzerland.

Callum McGregor said Switzerland and Hungary will “smell blood” given Scotland’s performance against Germany and he might be right, but it is about how Scotland put right the many wrongs from Friday. Clarke addressed the media on Sunday, he didn’t have to but wanted to.

He wanted to put the negativity of Germany to bed so we can all move on and focus on the huge game against Switzerland.

In reality, it was always going to be the case that Scotland would probably lose to Germany and focus would shift to the Switzerland and Hungary games. The nature of the performance and result in Munich means that you can’t simply write off what happened against Germany.

Ryan Porteous was sent off for this tackle on Ilkay Gundogan
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Ryan Porteous was sent off shortly before half-time for his follow-through on Ilkay Gundogan

Defensively Scotland must improve. Looking back to the start of the qualification campaign and Scotland won their first five games keeping four clean sheets, conceding just once to an Erling Haaland penalty in Oslo. That included the 2-0 win over Spain at Hampden Park which was an excellent example of getting the game plan right.

Scotland need to somehow rediscover that form and defensive resilience. Scotland have conceded 26 goals since then keeping just one clean sheet, that was against Gibraltar earlier this month in Faro.

Scotland were up against tough opponents in some of the friendlies, they conceded three to England, four to France and another four against Netherlands. Changes were made during those games too but when it really mattered against Germany, they were 2-0 down in the opening 20 minutes. Clarke needs to change things at the back anyway due to Ryan Porteous’ red card.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke explains who he will now approach their next game at the Euros against Switzerland and who he will be supporting when England take on Serbia.

The Scotland boss said he had to give Porteous a cuddle to show his support as he did to others in the squad but also had to “kick some backsides” too.

Will Clarke change formation and go to a back four? That is an option at his disposal, but he was giving nothing away in an otherwise open media conference in which he showed his dry wit. Many feel Billy Gilmour will come back in after only featuring as a substitute on Friday. All the players will have a point to prove.

Just look at the last Euros when Scotland lost their opening game to Czech Republic at Hampden Park and had to go to Wembley and get a least a point despite being written off. They got the point and could have earned all three on another night as they clung on to hopes of getting out of the group.

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Will Billy Gilmour be handed a Scotland start against Switzerland?

It wasn’t to be in the end, but it will require something like that to keep alive hopes of the four points Clarke talks about needing to progress. Remember at Wembley, Clarke was bold. Two up front, Gilmour made his first competitive start and Keiran Tierney was back from injury. The perfect example of a phrase he used on Thursday, “respect everyone, fear no one”. They need to prove it now and not just say it.

The last time Scotland won a game at a major championship was Euro 96 at Villa Park against Switzerland. Ally McCoist’s cracker allied with England’s comfortable lead at Wembley against Netherlands had us believing we could qualify out of the group that night, but we would be eliminated on goals scored after Patrick Kluivert squeezed in his effort through David Seaman’s legs. Talk about bittersweet.

This time it has to be no regrets; it has to be a positive result.

The Scotland players had some downtime on Sunday and went up the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. Reaching the peak is one thing, they now have to climb a big footballing mountain, but they still have the chance to make history and prove the doubters wrong.

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Scotland reporter notebook: Steve Clarke and co want to lead Euro 2024 party like it’s 1999 | Football News

Scotland reporter notebook: Steve Clarke and co want to lead Euro 2024 party like it’s 1999 | Football News


As Scotland prepare to open Euro 2024 against hosts Germany on Friday, Sky Sports News reporter Luke Shanley explains why Steve Clarke’s side have to believe they can spring a surprise…

Scotland are ready to take centre stage and I don’t mean John McGinn and his Bavarian dancing band. Steve Clarke’s team will open Euro 2024 against hosts Germany and they don’t want to be the supporting act.

It is the first overseas tournament Scotland have qualified for since the World Cup in France 1998, ironically another tournament in which Scotland played in the opening game. That was against world champions Brazil in Paris.

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Scotland’s training base is in the Bavarian town Garmisch Partenkirchen

Scotland can look back 26 years and see the benefits of being written off, forgotten, and looked upon as bit parts in a global event. The team lost 2-1 that day to a late Tom Boyd own goal after a good performance that almost pulled off a shock with an approach that got the balance between defence and attack right while also riding their luck until Boyd’s unfortunate moment.

Tom Boyd's own goal ended Scotland's hopes of a shock against Brazil at the World Cup in 1999
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Tom Boyd’s own goal ended Scotland’s hopes of a shock against Brazil at the World Cup in 1998

This time around Scotland will face the hosts who have the weight of expectation on their shoulders with signs of improvement under Julian Nagelsmann. The Scotland coaching staff never believed the narrative that Germany were on the downward path and it was the best time to play them.

Scotland themselves have won just one of their last nine games and that was against Gibraltar last week in a warm-up match in Faro, Portugal. Clarke has spoken about not having any ‘Negative Normans’ around the camp and fair enough, given the fantastic form early in the qualifying campaign. It is just one defeat in their last eight competitive games, including five wins in a row at the start of qualifying.

Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour is hoping to start the Euro 2024 opener against Germany and go up against ‘one of the best midfielders in the game’ in Toni Kroos

The national team need to rediscover that level of performance, especially the approach in the win over Spain at Hampden Park last year. The friendlies against top nations like England, France and Netherlands served a purpose, even if the results didn’t go Scotland’s way.

Clarke will already have his mind made up on his team selection. He will have had some big decisions to make given the pre-tournament injuries, firstly to right wing-backs Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson before the squad was announced and then to strikers Lyndon Dykes and Ben Doak, who did make the cut.

Celtic’s Anthony Ralston and Bristol City’s Ross McCrorie are vying for that right wing-back position. My money would be on the former with the latter only making his debut in the win over Gibraltar.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 26: Scotland's Lawrence Shankland pre-match during an International Friendly match between Scotland and Northern Ireland at Hampden Park, on March 26, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
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Will Lawrence Shankland or Che Adams lead the line?

Lawrence Shankland scored in the last game against Finland with a good header and is the player of the year in Scotland thanks to 31 goals with Heart of Midlothian, but it is likely Che Adams will be given the nod ahead of him. He scored 18 goals for Southampton as they won promotion back to the Premier League via the play-offs and previous form for Scotland could be enough. He ended a 10-game drought at international level with a goal in Faro last week.

There may be one or two other tough picks for Clarke in central defence, but he has plenty of options who can slot in in that position.

John McGinn joins in some Bavarian dancing as Scotland arrive in Germany ahead of Euro 2024!

When Scotland arrived at their training base in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, they were met by thunder and lightning but also a fantastic welcome from the mayor Elisabeth Koch and local residents, including some ex-pats. The team got off the bus to head into a small hall for an event in which John McGinn, who else, decided to partake in Bavarian dancing. It was great to see the team and the locals mix with no police, no barriers and no restrictions, a throwback considering what football is today.

Remember the saying, ‘No Scotland, No Party’. It was great to see the town and the team come together but don’t let the optics cloud the reality. The hard work has been under way for some time now. Clarke will have this Scotland team ready, the big question is, will it be good enough to perform on one of the biggest stages?

It has been 25 years since Scotland beat Germany in Bremen thanks to a Don Hutchison strike, The Tartan Army want to party like it’s 1999 again.

Scotland’s record vs Germany

James Forrest and Grant Hanley played in Scotland's last match against Germany in 2015
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James Forrest and Grant Hanley played in Scotland’s last match against Germany in 2015

The teams have faced each other 17 times and last met in a European Championship qualifier in 2015 with Scotland losing to the then world champions 3-2 at Hampden Park.

Two of Scotland’s current squad, James Forrest and Grant Hanley, started that match in Glasgow.

Don Hutchison scored in Scotland's late win vs Germany in 1999
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Don Hutchison scored in Scotland’s late win versus Germany in 1999

Scotland have only beaten their opening opponents four times, with the last victory coming in a friendly in 1999.

Managed by Craig Brown, Scotland defeated a German side that included names such as Oliver Bierhoff and Lothar Matthaus thanks to the second-half goal from Hutchison.

Scotland’s Euro 2024 schedule

Scotland take on Germany at the Munich Football Arena (Allianz Arena) on June 14.

The Scots also face games against perennial qualifiers Switzerland in Cologne on June 19, with Hungary – who reached the knockouts in 2016 – awaiting in Stuttgart on June 23.

Scotland’s potential route to the final finishing as group winners…

If Scotland finish as winners of Group A but all other results at Euro 2024 go with the world rankings, the Scots’ opponents in the knockout rounds would be…

Round of 16: Saturday June 29 – Scotland vs Denmark (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund)

Quarter-final: Friday July 5 – Spain vs Scotland (MHPArena, Stuttgart)

Semi-final: Tuesday July 9 – Scotland vs Netherlands; kick-off 8pm (Allianz Arena, Munich)

Final: Sunday July 14 – Scotland vs France; kick-off 8pm (Olympiastadion, Berlin)

Scotland’s potential route to the final finishing as group runners-up…

If Scotland finish as Group A runners-up but all other results at Euro 2024 go with the world rankings, the Scots’ opponents in the knockout rounds would be…

Round of 16: Saturday June 29 – Scotland vs Italy (Olympiastadion, Berlin)

Quarter-final: Saturday July 6 – England vs Scotland (Merkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf)

Semi-final: Wednesday July 10 – France vs Scotland; kick-off 8pm (Allianz Arena, Munich)

Final: Sunday July 14 – Spain vs Scotland; kick-off 8pm (Olympiastadion, Berlin)

If Scotland finish as one of four best third-placed teams…

One of:

Sunday June 30 – Group B winners vs third-placed side from Group A/D/E/F (RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne)

Monday July 1 – Group F winners vs third-placed side from Group A/B/C (Waldstadion, Frankfurt)

Tuesday July 2: Group E winners vs third-placed side Group A/B/C/D (Allianz Arena, Munich)

Quarter-finals

If Scotland finish first in Group A and win round-of-16 game…

Friday July 5 (MHPArena, Stuttgart)

If Scotland finish second in Group A and win round-of-16 game…

Saturday July 6 (Merkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf)

If Scotland finish as one of four best third-placed teams and win round-of-16 game…

One of:

Friday July 5 (MHPArena, Stuttgart)

Friday July 5 (Volksparkstadion, Hamburg)

Saturday July 6 – (Olympiastadion, Berlin)

Semi-finals

If Scotland finish first in Group A, win round-of-16 game and win quarter-final…

Tuesday July 9 – kick-off 8pm (Allianz Arena, Munich)

If Scotland finish second in Group A, win round-of-16 game and win quarter-final…

Wednesday July 10 – kick-off 8pm (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund)

If Scotland finish as one of four best third-placed teams, win round-of-16 game and win quarter-final…

One of:

Tuesday July 9 – kick-off 8pm (Allianz Arena, Munich)

Wednesday July 10 – kick-off 8pm (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund)

And finally, the final…

Sunday July 14 – kick-off 8pm (Olympiastadion, Berlin)

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Lewis Morgan added to Scotland’s provisional Euro 2024 squad by Steve Clarke | Football News

Lewis Morgan added to Scotland’s provisional Euro 2024 squad by Steve Clarke | Football News



Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has added New York Red Bulls star Lewis Morgan to his provisional squad ahead of Euro 2024.

The 27-year-old – who has nine goals and three assists to his name this season – has been used as a forward in the MLS.

Morgan last played for the national team in 2018 and joins the group following the withdrawals of forwards Lyndon Dykes and Ben Doak.

Clarke had already called up Bristol City’s Tommy Conway in place of Doak – with Morgan now added to a 28-man group which must be cut to 26 after Friday’s friendly against Finland.

More to follow…

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