Steve Clarke insists Scotland will do their all for the nation to bring back a positive result from their game at Wembley against England.
If they are to fulfil their aspirations of getting out of the group stages, Scotland will need to take at least a draw from this evening’s game.
The players and Clarke need little reminder of the importance of the fixture, with the focus on delivering a result the country can be proud of.
Clarke said: “I just prepare for the game. Listen, everybody knows the magnitude of the fixture. It’s a historic game, a famous game, there have been lots of moments in the past. But if I went back to the moments that meant the most to me the young boys in the squad wouldn’t even remember them.
“It’s a fixture that goes back a long way and everyone is aware of what it means to the people of Scotland. We’ll do our best to get a positive result.”
The big news for Clarke and Scotland, on a subject which dominated the pre-match talk, is that Kieran Tierney is fit to play at Wembley.
Tierney missed the Czech Republic game and had been a doubt for tonight’s fixture with a niggling calf problem.
Clarke added: “He’s fit and available to play. He trained fully yesterday and today. Obviously something could happen over night, but we don’t expect that and we expect Kieran to be in the starting line-up.
“It’s good for Kieran, it’s good for everybody. You want all your players available and that’s what we’ve got.”
There is an historic rivalry attached to this game, which dates back to 1872 and stirs hyperbolic emotions on both sides of the border. It is something Clarke cannot afford to pay heed to.
He said: “I’ve got 100 per cent respect for (England boss) Gareth (Southgate), his staff and his players. They are good people. Gareth and Stevie Holland I know well. We respect every opponent and we go out and do our best against them and that will be the same tomorrow.
“What outside influences on both sides of the border say, we can only concentrate on ourselves.”
Clarke admits he has paid no attention to any talk of England being pre-tournament favourites, with Southgate’s side expected to make a run deep into the competition.
Scotland still have huge aspirations of their own, which will be given a huge boost by a victory tonight.
“I don’t really weigh it at all,” added Clarke. “We go into the game thinking about ourselves and putting ourselves under pressure for a good performance and a good result. The English boys I’m sure are used to being touted certainly for the last four.
“I think they would be disappointed if they didn’t get to the last four, but there are a lot of good teams in the tournament so they’ll have to be good too.”
