sport news Scotland have become unwitting 'bad guys' ahead of World Cup play-off ... trends now
The media accreditation list for a Scotland international rarely features news correspondents from CNN, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, Bild, L’Equipe and the New York Times.
The convergence of world news outlets on Glasgow for a World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine tonight reflects the significance of an event which now transcends a game of football.
The tragedy of events in Ukraine can’t be placed at the door of Scotland’s national football team. The order to roll tanks over the Russian border came from the Kremlin rather than Hampden. The destruction of Mariupol and Kharkiv is a consequence of despotic behaviour from Vladimir Putin rather than any malevolent deeds by Steve Clarke and his players.
Scotland's World Cup clash against Ukraine simply transcends football with the world's media arriving in Glasgow hoping to see the war-ravaged nation embark on a fairytale story
Scotland have become unwitting bad guys and face a difficult challenge at Hampden Park
On Wednesday night, however, Clarke and his side find themselves cast in an unenviable position. In the face of Russian brutality, Ukraine has earned the sympathy of the world. In the quest to reach Sunday’s play-off final against Wales, supporters across the planet will unite in support of a nation locked in a grim struggle for survival.
The rolling news networks will set up at Scotland’s National Stadium hoping for a ‘good news’ story and what’s good news for Ukraine is not good news for Scotland’s hopes of reaching the World Cup finals for the first time in 24 years.
Addressing the idea that Scotland have somehow emerged as unwitting ‘bad guys’ in a situation not of their making, manager Clarke shrugs.
‘I have to be honest, I don’t always read a lot of media but I haven’t really felt that as a narrative, that we are at fault somehow,’ he said. ‘I’ve never felt that. Obviously we are not at fault in any way whatsoever.
There have been suggestions that Scotland could hold reservations over playing in the game
‘For us it is a game of football and for the Ukrainian boys it will be the same. It’s a game of football and both teams want to go to the World Cup finals.’
Originally scheduled for March 24, few expected tonight’s delayed play-off to happen at all. Reacting to a request by the Ukraine FA to postpone the fixture until June, FIFA and UEFA had little option. The Scottish FA, meanwhile, made the wise decision to remain quiet.
In the face of calls from Graeme Souness and various commentators for Scotland to stand aside and give Ukraine a bye, that was never a realistic option for the SFA. A 3-0 defeat to Morocco in St Etienne in 1998 was the national team’s last inglorious experience of a World Cup finals. And so long as Ukraine felt ready and able to settle the matter on the football pitch, Scotland had to watch and wait.
‘It’s definitely not back to normal,’ said Clarke of the current war zone in eastern 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.
Ukraine are hoping to give their country a lift by reaching their first World Cup in 24 years
There are many unknowns ahead of the game, with Ukraine severely lacking in match fitness
‘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.’
Walking the tightrope between sympathy and virtue signalling has been a tricky business at times. Scotland supporters will
