Scotland focused on getting job done against neutrals favourites’ Ukraine

Steve Clarke is unaware of ill will towards Scotland as they prepare to host Ukraine. It is just that the backdrop to arguably Scotland’s biggest game in a generation is so unusual that it triggers abnormal discussion.

Clarke’s role is to ensure his players can fix eyes on a potential World Cup berth rather than circumstances surrounding Ukraine before this playoff semi-final. Neutral support will sit with the visitors to Hampden Park but Scottish messaging appears perfectly clear.

“We have to focus on the football match and I don’t think the Ukrainian team would want it any other way,” said Scotland’s manager. “Their coach has said they are ready for the game. We are ready for the game. It’s a game of football and hopefully the better team wins. Hopefully we’ll be the better team.

“It’s definitely not back to normal [in Ukraine]. But we always said we would be guided by the Ukrainians and how they felt about the situation and what they wanted from the situation. What they want is that their football team can come out of the country, prepare properly as they have for the last four weeks and be ready for a football match.

“They want to give their country a lift, which is absolutely 100% understandable. But we want to go to the World Cup as well. We want to give our country a lift. It’s very difficult to do but you have to separate the situation that the Ukrainians find themselves in and the context of a football match. It’s a football match and that’s what we focus on.”

In the stands, if not on the pitch, the scene promises to be different from what would ordinarily be expected for a game of this magnitude. “We will respect the Ukrainian national anthem and we will applaud the Ukrainian national anthem,” said Clarke.