'We're probably going home': Scotland manager Clarke candidly assesses Brazil defeat

[p]The ‌Scots, with three points, still technically have a chance of progressing to the knockout stages at ‌a World Cup for the first time as one of eight ‌third-placed teams with the best records over the 12 groups.[/p][p]As things stand, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a] have ‌the sixth-best record but Clarke clearly believes that they will be overtaken ‌by at least two other teams with 20 group matches remaining.[/p][p]"[b]Fair result[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"You give a team like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a] the chances that we gave them in the game, you ‌expect to get punished. And that's what happened. I ⁠think we're probably going home.[/p][p]"[b]We know ‌they're deadly in the attacking third of the pitch, and we gave them for ​sure the first two goals, probably the third goal as well.[/b][/p][p]"So we gave them the goals, but on the counter of that, they ​also missed a few chances and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gunn-angus/zaREt4aJ/"]Angus[/a] (Gunn) had to make a few good saves.[/p][p]"[b]We created one or two chances, but nothing really clean.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="c39ba568-ff86-4dca-8e63-ac444467ceee" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBz_D_GiMtM" social-type="youtube" /][p]Clarke's frustration with ⁠his team's performance on Wednesday ​was clear but he said he was not angry with the players who got Scotland to their first World Cup since [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] in 1998.[/p][p]"[b]I'm disappointed for them because they didn't reach the levels that they can reach,[/b]" he said.[/p][p]"[b]I ‌think we all know that. Anybody that's watched this team over the last few years knows that we didn't reach the levels that we can reach[/b]."[/p][p]The former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] fullback said their campaign had also exposed structural issues in Scottish football that needed addressing.[/p][p]"[b]I think when you see the physicality, the power and the technique of both [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] and Brazil, you can see that we have to do something about it[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]We have to try and be better at producing young players that can grace the world stage[/b]."[/p][embed guid="6ffc48a0-857e-46f1-866c-8fb8441b5d1f" url="https://x.com/stephebissett/status/2069909528448057561" social-type="twitter" /][p]Scotland's Tartan ‌Army of fans have lit up the tournament and while Clarke once again ​saluted their contribution, he said it was important supporters did not ‌forget why they had been in the U.S. in the first place.[/p][p]"[b]Don't forget that this group of players brought these fans to America. This group of players qualified[/b]," he added.[/p][p]"Otherwise, we're doing what we always do. We're sitting on the sofa and we're watching the World Cup ⁠without Scotland.[/p][p]"[b]They've had a great time, ⁠great ambassadors for the country, but ‌they wouldn't be here without that group of players.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="6dd15cec-57e8-42b6-b988-b3e179a58ae4" url="https://x.com/DavidTannerTV/status/2069963436075729041" social-type="twitter" /]