Scotland exit with a whimper amid worrying questions about team’s future | Ewan Murray

The impressive clean-up operation around Stuttgart’s Königstrasse ensured that by Monday morning, traces of the Tartan Army’s impact were barely distinguishable. Even Scotland’s off-field contribution to Euro 2024 – an impressive, widely acclaimed one – has been swiftly airbrushed from history.

At 9am one Scottish fan lay dozing in a doorway in Buchenstrasse, doubtless suffering the effects of the days before while perhaps trying to recall the high point of this tournament. For Scotland, that was a Scott McTominay shot against Switzerland, shanked into his own net by Fabian Schär. Scotland had already been trounced by Germany. Switzerland equalised, Hungary snatched late victory in the final clash of Group A. For the 12th time in succession, it is farewell before a knockout ball is kicked.

Blame swirls at times such as these. Even the vast ranks of the Scotland support have taken it in the neck for apparently being too upbeat amid disappointment. This is a preposterous argument. The Tartan Army have made friends throughout Germany. Their behaviour has generally been impeccable, free from the aggression attached to club sides abroad. Whether it is depressing or otherwise, those fans have proved Scotland’s key contribution to this tournament. On the field, there is evidence to suggest the Scots have been the worst of all 24 participating teams. That should sting anybody who cares about the state of Scotland’s national sport.

Steve Clarke is already in the line of fire. Scotland’s manager is experienced enough to know this comes with the territory. An identical finals record to the European Championship of three years ago undermines any sense of progress for the oldest squad in Germany. Clarke has been in the job for five years; familiarity can breed contempt, regardless of the unquestionable strides made on his watch. For decades before, even reaching finals felt a pipe dream. It does not get any easier from here; strong work elsewhere from Clarke means Scotland must soon face the potential tumult attached to Group A of the Nations League. The visit in September of Poland to Hampden Park suddenly looks significant. Trips to Portugal and Croatia follow.

Clarke erred in highlighting the nationality of the referee who failed to award Stuart Armstrong a late penalty against Hungary. It was known in advance that Facundo Tello, an Argentinian, was taking on Euros fixtures without so much as an eyebrow being raised. A referee from Buckie, not Bahía Blanca, could well have come up with the same decision as Tello. Employees of the Scottish FA cannot throw stones, given no official from their country was deemed capable of taking charge of European Championship games. Clarke latched on to this moment of controversy but fans did not, through a sense Scotland did not merit reaching the last 16 anyway. This was not glorious failure, it was elimination with a whimper.

Clarke’s retention of five defenders for a must-win game will draw criticism. Personnel choices – such as the failure to utilise properly the in-form James Forrest – likewise. Scotland were blunt, horribly blunt, before a batch of late changes and the turning of the Hungary clash into something akin to under-12s football. By that point, Scotland were manic. Hungary had the nous to capitalise.

Focus on the manager is misplaced. Scotland’s latest short stay poses wider questions about what on earth the nation is doing to bridge a talent gap not only to the best teams in Europe but mediocre ones. There is no Scottish Kylian Mbappé; neither is there any sign of a Granit Xhaka or Dominik Szoboszlai. If this is not addressed while Scotland are qualifying for tournaments, only good fortune will prevent tailspin. The paucity of resources is already so glaring. How many of Scotland’s star turns would play for teams who will finish as runners-up in their group?

Scotland’s success or otherwise in Germany depended so heavily on the form of John McGinn and Scott McTominay. Both will surely admit to being short of their best. Yet this reliance is in itself damning. It is the reason so many Scots want to portray Billy Gilmour as something he will never be: a gamechanger. If Lawrence Shankland is the underutilised striking sensation many say he is, umpteen managers beyond Clarke are wrong given there have been no offers to Hearts for the forward. Those who believe Clarke should deploy a team that play with attacking abandon have paid no attention to Scotland’s defensive generosity.

Kieran Tierney can influence games from defence. The sad reality that Tierney’s body seems to want to deny him the career he deserves rang true as he departed the Swiss draw on a stretcher. Andy Robertson is a fantastic player who can do only so much from left-back. Beyond that? Clarke is pretty much selecting from a Championship pool. The 60-year-old’s ability to glean so much from this group has been his key achievement. It is, though, entirely possible be can glean no more. We are left clinging to the great Ben Doak revolution, as if an 18‑year‑old with tiny exposure to first-team football will come charging to Scotland’s rescue. The needless pressure already on the Liverpool forward shows desperation. Scotland are circling the drain.

The Scottish FA is powerless to the extent that clubs and the Scottish Professional Football League control all before them, including youth development. Greedy agents take promising teenagers to academies in England, where they promptly vanish, rather than push for first-team football north of the border. It should still be incumbent on those governing bodies to implement – in fact to insist upon – revolution to radically improve the development of Scottish players. The standard of the top flight is awful, the exposure given to under‑23 home players equally so. Tommy Conway is the latest Championship player to be called into Clarke’s number and the latest – like McTominay, Angus Gunn and Ché Adams – who has spent as much time in Scottish domestic football as he has on the moon.

Scotland’s big clubs are culpable. Five years have passed since Tierney’s £25m move to Arsenal; Celtic have wasted umpteen times that on chaff from abroad. The Scottish champions cling to Tierney, Forrest and Callum McGregor as proof their pathway works. The last two are now 32 and 31. Rangers should be embarrassed by the fact not one of their players featured for Scotland at Euro 2024. Clarke’s starting XI versus Hungary included just one player, Scott McKenna, who came through the system at Aberdeen, Hearts or Hibs. Either Premiership clubs have no interest in promoting Scottish youth or do not regard it as good enough, with neither situation acceptable. Celtic and Hearts field B teams in the Lowland League, a scenario that requires an annual argument. There is nothing by way of joined-up thinking.

Hope springs from the prospect of Aaron Hickey returning from injury at Brentford. Lewis Ferguson looked poised for a move to Juventus before incurring a serious knee injury at Bologna. Maybe Doak will flourish. These are the straws to clutch. Clarke’s kit bag does not include a magic wand. Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish never featured in the knockout phase of a tournament for Scotland. It turned out to be fanciful to believe the highly ordinary class of 2024 could break the mould.