Scotland’s World Cup hopes were ended last night and manager Gordon Strachan says genetics are to blame.
The 2-2 draw in Slovenia prolongs the Scots absence from a World Cup – 1998 was their last appearance – and yet for much of their final group game they looked on course to finish second behind England and secure a qualification play-off place.
Leigh Griffiths gave the visitors the lead in the first-half with an angled shot but after the interval the pressure seemed to get to Scotland and they withdrew into their shell.
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Slovenia, in contrast, were more aggressive and industrious, and their reward was two goals in quick succession, both from substitute Roman Bezjak.
Robert Snodgrass hooked in an equaliser on 88 minutes but with Slovakia thrashing Malta in the other decisive group match it was win or bust for the Scots. The third goal never came and so the Slovaks claimed second spot on goal difference.
Across the Irish Sea there was delight, however, at Scotland’s failure to take maximum points, the draw meaning that Northern Ireland are in the play-offs as one of the eight best second-placed teams from the nine groups in the European qualifying.
“Genetically we are behind,” said Strachan. “In the last campaign we were the second smallest, apart from Spain. We had to pick a team to combat the height and strength at set-plays. Genetically we have to work at things, maybe we get big women and men together and see what we can do. But it is a problem for us because we have to fight harder for every ball and jump higher than anyone else.”
It was hard to see what his point was, given that he had just mentioned that Spain are the smallest side physically in qualifying. They haven’t exactly struggled in recent years and Strachan is only fooling himself if he thinks Scotland’s problem is their size.
But he continued in denial mode, telling journalists: “Nobody can tell me their technique, apart from one player, is better than any of ours. But physically we have a problem. We seem to be able to battle it and get through just with sheer determination and skill and work-rate. And that takes a lot out of you.”
British footballers, as England have proved in qualifying for the World Cup, are in general deficient technically to the rest of the world and that explains the reason for their declining influence in the last 30 years.
Nonetheless the Scots couldn’t be faulted for their commitment in the second half of the qualifying campaign, but they were always playing catch-up after a shocking start when they failed to beat Lithuania at home.
“Over the 90 minutes and the last year, it’s been an honour to work with these guys,” said Strachan, who has guided Scotland to their longest unbeaten run (seven games) since 1997.
“At this moment it’s obviously disappointment, but my disappointment is nothing compared to the players… as I said to them, you can go away and be really proud of yourselves because you pushed yourselves to places some maybe didn’t think they could go.”
