Scotland Men's Football Team - BBC Sport (2024)

Scotland have taken a "great boost" from the fans who stuck by them after their Munich mauling, says goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

While the 28-year-old admits the 5-1 defeat to Germany “still hurts”, he insists Steve Clarke’s side are determined to repay the Tartan Army and are targeting full points against Switzerland and Hungary to progress from the group.

"Everyone's still bitterly disappointed from the result and also the performance. I don't think anyone did themselves justice," said Gunn.

"We let ourselves down, our families down and obviously the fans, which is probably the most difficult part to take.

"Seeing all the videos of everyone travelling over before the game, it looked unbelievable and even after a result like that, they were still there, singing and clapping at the end.

"It gives us a great boost, lifts us after such a disappointing result and just makes us want to want to repay them even more in the next two games.

"Obviously we've played against the pot one team now already, so that's out of the way and we've got a target - two wins - that'll get us through the group."

Lewis Ferguson wishes he could be playing for Scotland against three of his club-mates in the Switzerland team on Wednesday as he knows "their every move".

Ferguson's Bologna team-mates Michel Aebischer, Remo Freuler and Dan Ndoye are part of the Swiss squad, while the Scot missed out on Euro 2024 through injury.

Aebischer scored in Switzerland's opening Group A win over Hungary and both he and Freuler provided assists in the 3-1 victory.

"They're obviously a really good squad," Ferguson told BBC Sport. "Good experience, good quality.

"I've played alongside three of them for the last year. They're good payers. They'll want to go and win this game to get through.

"I just wish I was coming up against the boys because I know them so well. I would like to think I would know their every move.

"I've told them not to think about shooting like [they did against Hungary] on Wednesday, just to take it easy."

Could Billy Gilmour's calmness on the ball could be the key to a positive Scotland result against Switzerland?

The Brighton midfielder was left out of Steve Clarke's starting XI in Friday's 5-1 defeat to Germany, a decision that prompted some criticism.

The Scots will have to avoid defeat against the Swiss, who impressed in their opening win over Hungary, to have a realistic chance of progression - and The Athletic's JJ Bull believes Gilmour could be crucial in achieving that.

"If Scotland can win, it will probably be won when Switzerland have the ball in Scotland's half," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Just in that slight moment near the final third, where they just passed it loose a couple of times near the Hungary box. I'm really clutching at things here, but there was a couple of loose passes.

"That's where you could probably pounce and then you'll get the runners.

"Then you need to get John McGinn and Scott McTominay running with the wing-backs, but you need someone like Gilmour to keep that calm."

Bull also believes Scotland will have to show "a lot more tactical discipline" than they did in the ragged hammering by Germany.

"Switzerland were excellent against Hungary and I think what you'll see is lots of rotations, lots of players dragging others out of position, which is the same thing Germany were doing," he added.

"Against Switzerland, you're going to need a lot more tactical discipline. It's not all about just tactics. It's a small bit of it. It makes a huge difference when you get that right because then you can bring the bravery and the actual skill.

"Another thing that Scotland lacked against Germany, forgetting the tactics, none of them could keep their first touch right. The ball was bouncing off them every single time.

"It's very basic stuff. But it's essential to be able to do that at a very good, quick level if you're going to play out through the way Switzerland are going to try and press them."

Defender Grant Hanley says "added nerves" can't excuse Scotland's abysmal performance in the 5-1 defeat by Germany.

Hanley was a half-time substitute for Che Adams after Ryan Porteous was shown a red card for a two-footed challenge on Ilkay Gundogan just before the break in Friday's Euro 2024 opener.

"These games are huge, a big occasion and everyone wants to play on those types of nights," said Hanley.

"So obviously there is a bit of added nerves in the atmosphere around the game.

"But I don’t think that’s something we can use as an excuse as to why we didn’t perform like we wanted to on Friday."

Hanley insists Scotland must "get back to basics" against Switzerland on Wednesday to revive their hopes of progress from Group A.

"You have periods where performances and results go well, particularly if we add a defensive point of view where you are not conceding goals, and the answer for us is to get back to basics and really concentrate on where and why we had success before," he added.

"This is a group [of players] that's been together for quite a while now.

"We've had our ups and downs together, we've shown before we can bounce back from negative results.

"We've put the result behind us, we're looking forward, it will be a difficult match on Wednesday.

"Switzerland are a good side with good players. The focus is mainly on ourselves.

"We have a massive opportunity to be successful again. With hard work we will make sure we prepare and give our all again."

Scotland’s nightmarish start to this European Championship set several unwanted records.

It was Scotland's heaviest defeat at a major finals since the 7-0 defeat to Uruguay at the World Cup in 1954 in the Swiss city of Basel.

It was the biggest defeat in the opening game in European Championship history and Scotland’s worst since the infamous Euro 2004 play-off second leg in Amsterdam.

Steve Clarke's side now have just one win - against a dreadful Gibraltar - in 10, with a whopping 26 goals conceded in that run.

The weather hasn’t exactly been on the Tartan Army’s side either with the rain following them north to Cologne.

Although all is not lost, Wednesday’s second group match against Switzerland is in must-not-lose territory.

Three points will unlikely be enough for the Scots given they are already in arrears of four on the goal difference, meaning a minimum of four will be required to create the right kind of history and get out of this section.

The Swiss can seal their passage to the last 16 before they even get a look at the Germans, who ran Scotland ragged on match-day one, and that will make them extremely dangerous.

Hungary couldn’t live with Switzerland's first-half performance on Saturday and if they hit that sort of form on Wednesday, Steve Clarke’s men could be in trouble again.

Former Switzerland and Celtic defender Ramon Vega says the Tartan Army could play a big part for Scotland against his home nation.

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Worried by how good Switzerland looked against Hungary? Fear not.

Swiss football journalist Lucas Werder has, sort of, explained how Scotland can win on Wednesday.

Werder told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast: "I think one of the weaknesses of Switzerland and maybe the biggest chance for Scotland is if they are patient and if they can hold the clean sheet, there will be 15 or 20 minutes where Switzerland are a little bit less active.

"Like we saw in the game against Hungary, it's in every game Switzerland plays. They have some minutes where they are not that offensive pushing. If Switzerland are a little bit passive, then Scotland have to take their chances.

"There won't be a lot of chances for Scotland, but in qualification [Switzerland] always conceded some goals. In the game against Romania, Romania had like one or two chances and they scored from every one."

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell and former Falkirk midfielder Stephen McGinn, brother of John, have been discussing whether Scotland should think about changing formation for the crucial Switzerland game on Wednesday.

"I would be tempted to go to a back four, but I don't think Steve Clarke will," McGinn told BBC Sportsound.

"He had a look at the back four in the friendly last week. So it's in his mind and an option for him.

"I'd be tempted to play Lawrence Shankland, and with the back four and five midfielders in front you can get bodies closer to him. Because if you're playing Shankland you need to get players round him."

Kettlewell, though, thinks Clarke should stick with the back three.

"I've always been a huge believer in sticking to what you believe in and what you've worked towards," he said.

"If you start changing to a four just now you're ripping up the script completely.

"There needs to be tweaks and changes to the team. I would look to go with [Scott] McTominay and McGinn supporting the main striker, and the obvious change at centre-back [Ryan Porteous is suspended].

"I don't think they'll perform anywhere near where they did on Friday night. I think they'll perform better.

"It's just whether you get that save, or break of the ball, or early opportunity to get the crowd going and build belief. They've been doubted before, and always responded well.

"I've no reason to believe they won't do that on Wednesday."

You can pick your Scotland team to face Switzerland here.

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Being left out of Scotland's Euro 2024 squad was "really tough" on goalkeeper Craig Gordon, 41, says his Hearts head coach Steven Naismith. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

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