Steve Clarke bans Scotland play off talk as boss offers bullish answer to parachute assurance ahead of Spanish sizzler
Steve Clarke has slapped a gag on all talk of Scotland having a play-off place in the bag as plots a way to stun Spain at Hampden.
The Scotland boss has shelved the fact that his team already has the safety net of a play-off through their Nations League heroics and is adamant that it has not been mentioned in the camp that is fully focused on qualifying for the Euros by the traditional route. Cyprus were beaten on Saturday and the Spanish big guns are in town on match night two in front of a sell-out Hampden crowd that has seen enough to believe that an upset is possible.
Clarke wants nothing but a positive mindset from his men and a steadfast belief that they are good enough to emerge from Group A with a place at the Euros earned without the need for that play-off. And he is convinced that his team is good enough to shock Spain under the lights at the National Stadium.
“We have spent the last couple of days talking about positive mentality going into the game," said Clarke, who watched Spain match Scotland's weekend result with a 3-0 win over Norway on Saturday night. "If you don’t believe you can get anything then you don’t get anything.
"So we have to believe we can get something from the game. I have carried that mentality right through my career."
Asked if having the play-off sitting on the back burner was a re-assurance, the former Kilmarnock manager's response was bullish. "What play off?" he asked. "We want to qualify direct, that’s my answer to the question.
"We do not speak about the play off, I have not spoken to the players about the play off, I have not spoken about it. I just want to go through the group, that’s the mentality so we have to go with that mentality.
"I know what you are saying – it gives you